Fall 2020: The Bite-Sized Issue

F A L L

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The Bite Sized Issue

Xander Gottfried Grace Leahy Louis Hoffman, Sarah Finkelstein, Justine Seo, Sophie Quaglia, Leah Wang, Kelsey Warren, Helen Wu, Yana Yadav Melissa Ogle Saranya Das Sharma Malia Kealaluhi Jonah Charlton, Lily Druker, Ryan McLaughlin, Donna Liu, Hailie Goldsmith, Sonia Shah, Sharon Kuo, Eli Nathan, Jacqueline Bruder, Alaina Chou Emily Yao Justine de Jesus, Alan Jinich, Peter Ribeiro Christy Wu, Frankie Li, Jean Chaoiro , Erica Xin, Minna Zheng, Ria Vieira, Danielle Gin, Alaina Chou Shaila Lothe Janet Lee, Emily Liu, Michelle Kwon, Sophie Meinen, Julia Lammers, Shreya Subramanian, Jasper Huang, Yasmine Mezoury, Samuel Kesler Alyssa Furukawa Lisa Moshiro, Alan Dai, Ryan Dharma, Lulu Schmitt, Aliris Tang, Jessie Zou, Sharon Dong, Yujung Lee, Sydney Sariol, Matthew Li, Max Tsiang, Grant Li, Margaret Drummond, Sarah Bernstein, Alex Kassouni Elle Cagnoli Ilyssa Delos Reyes, Liam Cook, Sylvia Goldfond, Melissa Plambeck , Daniel Huynh, Chae Kim, Frankie Li Diya Sethi Chloe Barshay, Ben Kreuzer, Rebecca Wirtschafter, Eli Adler, Ashley Leoni, Christine Zhang, Michelle Yeung, Alina Zhao, Rebecca Jiang Lisa Yang Maggie Tang Stephanie Yoon Ashley Kim, Nancy Zhu, Grant Li, Julia Fiedor Josephine Cheng Sahitya Mandalapu, Allison Chen, Anna Oros

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR EDITORIAL STAFF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR DESIGN STAFF

PHOTO DIRECTOR PHOTO STAFF

DIGITAL CONTENT DIRECTOR DIGITAL TEAM

CULINARY DIRECTOR CULINARY TEAM

MARKETING DIRECTOR MARKETING TEAM FINANCE DIRECTOR FINANCE TEAM

WEBMASTER COMMUNICATIONS SOCIAL IMPACT CHAIR EVENTS CHAIR SOCIAL IMPACT & EVENTS STAFF

Xander Gottfried Grace Leahy Dhivya Arasappan, Gaby Bonina, Anushka Dasgupta, Sarah Finkelstein, Rebecca Jiang, Anusha Mathur, Justine Seo, Emily Truong, Helen Wu Malia Kealaluhi Hannah Chan, Joy Chen, Alaina Chou, Hailie Goldsmith, Monika Lee, Donna Liu, Sonia Shah, Olive Tang, Amy Yang, Zhexi Zhang Emily Yao Pinn Chirathivat, Alaina Chou, Justine de Jesus, Danielle Gin, Neha Jain, Alan Jinich, Jediah Katz, Monika Lee, Shirley Li, Maria Murad, Rose Pan, Daniel Shi, Ria Vieira, Erica Xin, Shirley Yang, Jesse Zhang Shaila Lothe Serena Huang, Jasper Huang, Michelle Kwon, Janet Lee, Erin Lee, Izi Lee, Isabelle Lin, Emily Liu, Sahitya Mandalapu, Sophie Meinen, Yasmine Mezoury, Steven Shi, Shreya Subramanian, Kira Wang, Cameron Watkins, Nicole Wojnowski Alyssa Furukawa Sydney Sariol Luis Arias, Randy Bach, Sarah Bernstein, Milan Chand, Pinn Chirathivat, Alan Dai, Jihun (James) Doh, Sharon Dong, Alexandra Doppelt, Neharika Jain, Yujung Lee, Yani Li, Grant Li, Zoe Millstein, Lisa Moshiro, Anh Ngo, Vaishnavi Pachava, Apoorva Bharat Ram, Talia Sacks, Arin Senior, Allie Shapiro, Rishin Sharma, Max Tsiang Elle Cagnoli Annabeth Choi, Sylvia Goldfond, Sarah Katz, Frankie Li, Sydney Nixon, Ilyssa Delos Reyes Diya Sethi Chloe Barshay, Allison Chen, Ben Kreuzer, Ashley Leoni, Frankie Li, Rain Liu, Rebecca Wirtschafter, Michelle Yeung, Alina Zhao Lisa Yang Maggie Tang Stephanie Yoon Josephine Cheng Randy Bach, Gabrielle Coben, Jonathan Hsu, Marielle Kang, Shirley Li

Letter From The Editor

M

om calls me “space cadet.” Most of the time, my mind is anywhere but the present — rehashing a conversation from nine days ago, assessing weekend plans, imagining where I’ll live five years from now. I find myself thinking about dinner by 11am.

When COVID-19 hit in March, I couldn’t even begin to visualize the future. No one could. So I had no choice but to channel my focus toward the things around me. To be present.

While I was often wildly unsuccessful, I found myself paying more attention to the things I’d gained during this time. I began to appreciate the little things: slow, Sunday-morning coffee with my parents and sister, watching Too Hot to Handle, walking the dog with my partner, forcing my not-so-little brothers onto the back porch to watch sunset after sunset.

Now that I’m back in Philadelphia, I’m left reflecting on the little things I didn’t realize I’d miss, like navigating Locust crowds at noon on a weekday, waiting forty minutes for the SEPTA to Center City, or cramming into one of those tiny basement-floor desks in Fisher-Bennett.

This issue of Penn Appétit focuses on the little things too — only it does a whole lot better than I did.

For the Bite-Sized Issue, our team put together an array of short, digestible pieces that we hope will celebrate the fun of small things and the joy of childhood, reminding us of not just the good to come, but the good that exists in the little things around us now.

Cheers, Grace Leahy & The Penn Appétit Team

THE BIT E

D MENU IZE -S

Masthead

3

Letter from the Editor

5

What We Are Watching

11

Kid’s Menu: A Formal Complaint

13

Unpacking Uncrustables

14

Omakase

16

61

Shareable Feast: Tapas, Meze & More

18

62 Yuzu Rose Marscarpone Craquelin

Party of One: Small Batch Baking

20

64 Gambas Al Ajillo

Allergies: Nuting I Can’t Handle

22

66 Tortillas de Patatas

Chennai: Golden Hours & Summer Corn

24

68 High Tea:Potato & Egg Salad Brioche Sandwiches

How A Snack Becomes Flamin’ Hot

26

69 High Tea:Tuna Cucumber Finger Sandwiches

Playing With Our Food

28

70 High Tea:Zucchini Mozarella Biscuits

Sprinkles

30

71

Healthy Shots

32

72 High Tea:Mini Raspberry Custard Tarts

Unhealthy Shots

36

73 High Tea:Peach Tarts

Empanadas: A Culture Trip

38

74

Flavor Enhancers

40

78 Creamy Gnocchi with Black Olives

John & KIra’s Chocolatiers

44

82 Vietnamese Sticky Rice Balls

Decoding Dim Sum

48

86 Gruyere & Parmesan Cheese Souffle

Inside My Power Rangers Lunchbox

52

88 Japanese Curry Rice Ball BItes

Rolling & Re-Rolling Family Tradition

54

90 Classic Deviled Eggs

Tiny Round Desserts

56

92 Spicy Deviled Eggs

Bite-Sized Recipes 60 Maui Onion & Garlic Nuts Chili Roasted Nuts

High Tea:Corn Cream Scone

Xiaolongbao

94 Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Tastemade Tiny Kitchen 10 penn appétit

BY SARAH FINKLESTEIN ILLUSTRATION BY JOY CHEN

I

don’t know what it is that makes these videos so addicting to watch, but the record for most hours spent watching Tastemade’s Tiny Kitchen videos is probably held by me. Maybe it is the hyperrealism of a kitchen the size of a cutting board, or the way that they heat the oven using a simple tealight. Either way this series of tiny meals prepared in a tiny kitchen is some of the most binge-worthy content on the web.

In the tiny kitchen, anything is possible: A tiny fridge houses the butter and milk, all you need are 5 mini chocolate chips to make fudgy brownies, and there’s even a tiny laptop to keep you busy while you wait for your tiny pasta to finish cooking or your tiny pizza to crisp up in the oven.

I think it is the suspension of disbelief and the magic of it all that really pulls you in. At first, the show featured more simple recipes, testing out the capabilities of the miniature appliances by making dishes like quesadillas, french toast, and scrambled eggs with bacon. However, as the seasons have passed, Tastemade upped their game, advancing to “tiny brie in puff pastry with honey and walnuts” in Season 6 and a “tiny spring brunch” complete with hot cross buns in one of the most recent episodes.

The best part of the recipes is the fact that they put the ingredients next to the video. The side-by-side of the real ingredients and their mini-versions reminds us that these are, in fact, bitesized dishes. The tiny-jumbo (oxymoron) birthday cake filled with rainbow nonpareils is made from ½ teaspoon of quail egg and half a tablespoon of milk, along with other ingredients. That wouldn’t even be enough milk to lighten a cup of coffee!

A tiny article to sing my praises of tiny kitchen. I would write more, but I’m too busy watching Tastemade smoke a bite sized hunk of brisket outside of a tiny RV.

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Missed a semester? Didn’t go to Penn?

All of our past issues are online! issuu.com/pennappetit

BY SARAH FINKLESTEIN, ILLUSTRATION BY DONNA LIU

Ever wonder why we have “picky eaters”? The kids menu is the culprit.

N

o room for picky eaters in my house growing up. If you didn’t want to eat what mom or dad put on the table, then you were on your own. My brother loved adventurous new foods like frogs’ legs and different kinds of hot sauces. Two of my sister’s favorite foods growing up were meatloaf and roasted brussel sprouts — meals that would send most other kids running.

For this reason, I never understood the concept of a kids menu. We always ate what the adults were eating at home; why would we want to eat something different when we went to a restaurant?

But without fail, the waiters would bring a small pack of four colored crayons and one of those paper menus — exclusively brown, orange, and yellow foods, absolutely no greens allowed. We would

permit ourselves to play the tic-tac-toe and complete the word search puzzle on the back, but when it came time to order we preferred pasta carbonara over mac and cheese, thank you very much.

If we create an expectation that kids should only eat simple, cheesy, greasy, carb filled foods, they will never like anything else. If we raise kids to want to try new things and to enjoy vegetables and fruits, they won’t know any different. There will never be another fight about finishing the broccoli or having just one more bite of peas before dessert.

Another qualm: By grouping hamburgers and grilled cheeses onto this kids menu, it creates this notion that these foods are only for children. I can’t tell you how many times I have been craving some mac-and-cheese at a restaurant, but they

only serve it to people under the age of 12. Why? And have you ever wondered why there is never a kids menu at the local Indian, Greek, or Japanese restaurants?

That’s because the kids menu is a purely American phenomenon. Many restaurants representing different countries and cultures will not indulge in the pickiness of American kids. France boasts 6-yearolds slurping oysters or dipping their forks into escargot, but here in America our kids are caught pulling the crusts off of their grilled cheese. How ludicrous is that?

So keep the crayon packs and flimsy paper mats, but omit the menu on the back; I think the kids menu is definitely something we can do without.

penn appétit 13

UNPACKING UNPACKING UNCRUSTABLES UNCRUSTABLES & all your childhood favorites

BY ANUSHKA DASGUPTA, PHOTO BY EMILY YAO Looking back on the 2000s, I think of Disney stars, iPods and girl bands. Our childhoods were molded by the new internet generation, and while I fondly look back on High School Musical and Suite Life on Deck, equally as memorable is the food. Before people started sizing up the nutrition labels, snacks were often heavily processed and artificially dyed, which made for incredibly tasty, albeit unnatural, food. Although many of these remain on grocery store shelves, there’s an irreplaceable nostalgia in pulling a Twinkie from your lunchbox.

[1] UNCRUSTABLES A seemingly perfect idea: PB&J, no crust. While you may have stopped consuming Uncrustables in elementary school, my district carried them into high school — often the only vegetarian lunch option! Looking past the childhood love, there’s peanut butter and grape jelly (yes, the strawberry version is better) sopping out of two fragile sheets of bread: not a good crust to filling ratio. Still, these sandwiches make for a quick, easy meal especially when you can’t be bothered to make anything.

[2] GUSHERS & FRUIT-BY-THE-FOOT I remember the excitement in elementary school when someone would pull out a pack of these yellow-and-greenwrapped, artificially flavored gummy candy from their lunch box (“Let’s trade?”). They’re sweet, mildly fruity, but the reason they were so popular is because they’re simply so fun to eat.

Gushers ‘gush’ with flavor each bite, and somehow always tasted better when thrown into your mouth. Fruit-by-the-foot took minutes to unravel, and leave color-stained tattoos in your mouth.

[3] LUNCHABLES An entire lunch in a plastic carton, complete with dessert and a drink. Lunchables boast numerous flavors: the classic hamcheese-cracker combination, mini pizzas or chips with queso and salsa. The brand has been scrutinized for its high saturated fat and sodium content, especially after being marketed as a healthy children’s meal (but who gave their child a Lunchable thinking 14 penn appétit

it was healthy?). I was always jealous of others who had them — my mom never packed these — but like some others on this list, Lunchables are more revered for the fun, not the nutritional value.

[4] ANY HOSTESS PRODUCT Hostess made headlines in 2012 when they announced they were filing for bankruptcy, but to the elation of many, they were bought out and have since continued to sell their famous baked goods. Twinkies take the prize for American classic: overly sweet like almost all Hostess goods and fabled to last a hundred years. During road trips, my brother and I would each pick out a Hostess dessert from the sweets aisle: my go-to were HoHos and he’d usually pick cupcakes (remember the white curly-cued piping?). Even as they got melted and sticky in our hands, we savored these gas-station treats. There’s something special about unwrapping your own, even if it is a Twinkie from the gas station.

[5] DANIMALS The primitive, sugary version of your protein shake, Danimals were tart smoothie blends — usually strawberry banana — in a hard plastic bottle. Under the parent company Dannon, they’re equally unforgettable for the monkey on each bright red bottle, who was frequently in ads on Disney channel.

These would easily be the “healthiest” food on this list.

Unlike morning glasses of warm milk (I still revolt thinking about it), which my brother and I would frantically chug down, I’d save a bottle of Danimals for the end of lunch, a final, savoring treat.

Most of these snacks aren’t as popular amongst kids today — they have their own favorites — and while I don’t plan on eating them regularly, I’m always happy to see them in the grocery store and will never turn down a pack of Gushers. While we move into an obsession with ‘healthy’ and unprocessed, it’s important to remember the foods we grew up on, as unhealthy as they might’ve been, it’s still something to enjoy. Food is often where we get most of our memories.

penn appĂŠtit 15

K A A S M E O LEAVING IT UP TO CHANCE

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BY REBECCA JIANG PHOTOS BY ALAN JINICH The modern restaurant experience accentuates customizability, with chains like Chipotle, Panda Express, and poke bars adding value by allowing customers to pick exactly the mix of ingredients they prefer. Expansive restaurant menus with an almost incalculable amount of course permutations have left the authority at the dining table entirely to the customer.

After all, “The customer is always right.”

As much as I love getting extra corn salsa and tortillas on the side, there’s something so special about a dining experience where you leave what you receive in the hands of someone else.

Omakase, a Japanese word rooted in the verb “to entrust,” is a style of eating at Japanese restaurants where the customer leaves their entire meal up to the chef’s discretion. In many cases, customers don’t even see a pre-fixed menu; they have no idea what each course will be, or even how many there are.

However, the only thing you can expect are one-or-two-bite portions, seasoned to perfection. There will never be a need to dip sushi in soy sauce or add wasabi during the meal. Any wasabi intended to go with the dish is subtly placed between the fish and the rice, and sauces are served with the specific plate they precisely complement. Because restaurants offering omakase often limit seating to just a few guests, you have the full attention of the chef throughout the meal. Every component — from the order of delivery to individual ingredients for that day — is precariously choreographed to form a unique dance for your palate.

O

AS MAK

E ETIQUET

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Because we’re so used to dining styles centered around you and the people you’re eating with, your first omakase, where it’s now a culinary conversation between the customer and the chef, can be especially daunting. Here’s a quick guide to maintain respect and optimize each aspect of the meal:

Use the ginger to refresh your palate in between courses rather than adding it to the sushi.

In the same way that other cuisines might use citrus or bread as palate cleansers, ginger allows customers to neutralize their palate between courses and taste each dish with more clarity.

Stray from taking pictures of the meal as the courses are best eaten as quickly as possible to preserve the warmth of the rice.

Most sushi bars are thrilled when the customers take photos of the courses, but it’s polite to check in with the chef before doing so. Courses with nigiri also tend to come with rice that is just slightly warm,

and it might run cold if too much time is spent on pictures.

Try not to add any additional soy sauce.

Most sushi bars that serve omakase don’t have sauces laid out for the customer’s discretion. This is because they’re already seasoned to perfection!. If you do choose to add a little bit of soy sauce, ensure that the fish, rather than the rice, comes in contact with the sauce.

Eat each piece of sushi in one bite.

Each piece is crafted to be the perfect bite for you, and allow you to taste every element of the sushi at once.

Because of the quality of each of the ingredients and the time the experience requires, omakase isn’t offered at every Japanese restaurant and can be pricey — $50 to well over $100 per person. But if you ever have the opportunity to indulge in this truly one-of-a-kind meal, you’ll walk away never wanting to order for yourself again.

SPOTS IN PHILLY •

HIROKI

•

ROYAL SUSHI & IZAKAYA

•

SAKANA OMAKASE SUSHI

•

ZAMA

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Shareable Feast:Tapas, Meze, and More.

WRITTEN BY GRACE LEAHY PHOTO BY ROSE PAN

I’m a serial splitter. Anyone I dine out with knows that swapping and sharing are inevitable. Maybe it’s food envy. But maybe it’s curiosity.

Tapas proved to be a game changer.

I didn’t have to worry about a dearth of options — the point is for your meal to be more flavorful, more varied, more sociable, more adventurous. To mix and match. Want to try the octopus but not sure? Share it.

A common misconception debunked: tapas are not just appetizers. They vary from one region to another, but when setting out on a tapa-eating mission, the point is to make a meal of it. (For some, tapear is even a verb!)

While the origins of tapas are riddled with myths about Medieval kings, they seem more likely to have common origins.

According to Telegraph, the word tapa derives from the Spanish tapar, which means “to cover”; before they were bitesized plates, tapas served as lids served atop glasses to feed crowded standing bars, keep away fruit flies, or maybe even distract from the subpar quality of the drinks. Regardless of the intention, their scope is undeniable. Patatas bravas, tortilla española, and calamari are synonymous with Spanish cuisine.

If you keep tracing your finger along the Meditarreanean coastline, there’s more.

French hors d’oeuvres (“outside of the meal”) and Italian antipasto (“before meal”) are cousins of the tapa, but you have to keep going in order to find a closer match. That, or jump up to Scandinavia for a smörgåsbord.

Countries throughout the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East boast meze (or mezze, maybe mazza depending on location) that cannot be mistaken for a bar snack or appetizer. Mezze, like tapas, are the whole meal.

The Sultan of Egypt and the Levant had a dish prepared to commemorate the recapturing of Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187 (or was it for his ascension to the Egyptian throne?). This invention was hummus. Since then, other staples have emerged: labneh, tabbouleh, and baba ganoush; kulen, sudzuk, and kajmak; taramosalata, kalamata olives.

Chef Clifford A. Wright outlines the linguistic history. Some claim the Persian word mazze (“to taste” or “to relish”) is the root, while others claim it stems from Italian mezzano, referring to “middle” plates. Some have even made the case maza derives from the Arabic phrase, “Mazza haza?” meaning “What is this?”

Whatever you believe, it’s not a shock that a tradition that spans so many borders would be difficult to trace… and even more difficult when it comes to laying claim.

The underlying factor between all of these traditions is not the portion size, but the community. While the flavors and shared experience are memorable, it’s the conversations over hours of small plates that make tapas, maza, and many more traditions worth repeating.

Spots in Philly: 6 1

42

5

3

1. Oloroso 2. Amada 3. Barcelona Wine Bar

4. Isot 5. Zahav 6. Suraya

PARTY OF ONE OF ONE OF ONE OF ONE M OF ONE OF ONE OF ONE OF ONE OF ONE OF ONE OF ONE

A A Guide Guide to to Small Small Batch Batch Baking Baking

BY EMILY TRUONG PHOTO BY EMILY YAO

y family has a notorious history of not finishing dessert. Whenever we celebrate birthdays within my rather large extended family, we never finish more than half of the cake, no matter how many people attend. At home, as my parents phase in and out of diets and my friends have all left for college, my cookies and eclairs and brownies remain forgotten, sealed in Tupperware, until they become hard as a rock.

Recently, I’ve turned almost exclusively to baking in small batches. In the early stages of quarantine, I started halving recipes to conserve flour, but I soon fell in love with small batch baking. I find it so satisfying when a scaled-down recipe — be it midafternoon crepes shared with my sister, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies baked at 10 pm, or a mini marble cake for a virtual birthday party — turns out well.

Whether you live alone, are low on ingredients, or are tired of days of neverending batches of dessert, small batch baking is for you! Below are some tips and tricks to help scale down your favorite recipe into something with a more convenient yield.

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Getting Getting started: started: 1. Start with a tried and true recipe — your grandmother’s famous chocolate chip cookies or a trusty recipe from your favorite food blogger. Take a look at the yield or if you’ll need a certain pan.

Anything that’s originally made in a 9x13 inch pan can be halved to fit an 8x8 inch pan. Individually sized pies, cheesecakes, cinnamon rolls, and more can be made in muffin tins.

2. Halve all the ingredient amounts (the calculator app is about to become your new best friend).

Baking relies on ratios, making it easy to scale down recipes.

If your recipe uses metric units, then you’re in luck, but if your recipe uses cups instead, just remember that 1 cup = 16 Tbsp, 1 Tbsp = 3 tsp, and prepare for some light number crunching.

3. And now, time for the dreaded egg. What happens when your recipe calls for an odd number of eggs?

Simple — separate the egg!

Use the yolk for cookies, brownies, custard, and denser, chewier treats Use the white for cakes, muffins, and fluffier baked goods Save the other part of the egg for breakfast the next morning or use it for another small batch recipe 4. Now that you have your scaleddown proportions, follow the recipe as usual! Keep in mind that you may need to reduce your baking time if you’re using a different size pan than what the recipe calls for. Write down the new ingredient amounts so you don’t accidentally add too much flour or overload the treat with salt.

Taking it a step further: 1. If you want a miniature cake, a typical 12 cupcake recipe fits nicely into two 6 inch round pans. Halve the corresponding frosting recipe and assemble your fun-sized 6 inch cake.

2. Loaf pans are the most versatile small batch baking essential. You can fit brownies, mini sheet cakes, marshmallows, dinner rolls, and so much more in a classic 9x5 inch

bread loaf pan.

3. Another essential: a measuring spoon set that includes a teaspoon measurement.

These can be hard to find, but they make life so much easier.

Allergies:

Nuting

I Can’t Handle

BY ANUSHA MATHUR PHOTO BY ALAINA CHOU

I

stared straight ahead at the bold red “Emergency Room Check-In” sign, trying to take my mind off the tingly sensation at the back of my throat and the itchiness of the hives covering my body. All of a sudden, my head felt heavy and my surroundings became more and more like one of Monet’s impressionist landscapes. The colors blurred together until I lost control of my body and dropped to the floor. A minute later, I felt a nurse hastily insert an IV drip into my forearm as my dad stabbed my leg with a second dose of epinephrine.

Last year, it took less than a fourth of a pine nut for me to lose consciousness and wake up on a hospital bed. As someone who loves food, having a nut allergy has hindered my adventurous self. Whether it be trying authentic Singaporean food when I travel abroad to visit my cousins or eating at a local Chinese restaurant with my friends, there is always a worry in the back of my head that the chef might forget to leave off the walnuts or accidentally cross contaminate with pistachio in their busy kitchen.

When I was eight, a small lump used to

form in my throat every time I was offered birthday cake but had to say “No thank you,” because there was no dietary label.

Relatives and family friends at gatherings would ask with a hurt expression on their face, “Oh you don’t like the food?” when they saw that I was avoiding certain dishes. I felt guilty about not being able to eat my great-aunt’s signature cashew chicken curry or almond paneer.

But, I now realize that having allergies has taught me valuable life lessons. I have had to speak up for myself since elementary school, as I inquired about ingredients in the cafeteria lunch line, on every field trip, and at friends’ houses when their parents offered me snacks. I also learned to be conscious about what goes into my body and how to adapt recipes. In restaurants, you seldom find Kung Pao chicken without peanuts, pesto without pine nuts, or Chinese chicken salad without almonds. Every dish I create is flexible. My family’s kitchen is always fully stocked with sunflower seeds, oats, raisins, pumpkin seeds, and granola so that I can enjoy the salty flavor and crunchy texture of nuts in my adapted way.

Most importantly, having food allergies has taught me empathy. When my friend was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 16, I was the first person she first told. Every day before lunch I would sit with her as she took her blood sugar and injected herself with insulin. I related to her struggle of constantly needing to be aware of what she put into her body.

When I was 13, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I carried an epipen with me into the middle school dance.

I wish I could go back to moments like these and tell my younger self not to be self-conscious. Seeing me carry around my epipen would later help my friend feel comfortable doing the same with her insulin.

I often think about what I would do if I someday overcome my allergies. Although I would be excited to expand my flavor profile and try new foods without the fear of ending up hospitalized, I know that I will never forget the lessons that I learned from being disciplined about what goes in my body and vigilant about ensuring my safety. penn appétit 23

golden Hours & Summer Corn

BY DHIVYA ARASAPPAN ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA TANG Corn isn’t native to India. It doesn’t appear in traditional Indian curries and flavored rice the way that carrots, peas, and other non-native foods have been. But growing up in the US, I was a true corn lover. On a warm summer evening, there was nothing better than eating freshly grilled corn on the deck with a little butter, a little salt, and a whole lotta pepper.

But boy, was I wrong.

American corn on the cob, it turned out, had nothing on the Indian street food version.

Every two or three years, we made a big trip to India to visit our grandparents and all manner of extended family we could never keep straight. But when I was nine years old and my parents had to return home early, my brother and I had a whole month with our grandparents who were entirely too content to spoil us rotten.

And this would be the summer that I finally discovered how the Chennai street food scene transformed corn on the cob into an entirely different beast.

Life was slow on our little third-floor apartment just off the main road. Thayi, my grandmother, took every meal as an opportunity to stuff us full of authentic south Indian cooking. Every day was a series of dosas, and idlis, sambars, chutneys, new veggies, and all the south Indian fried sweets you could possibly think of.

My grandfather had a different way

of doing things. Just as the sun began to recede in the afternoon, my thatha unlocked the gates, revved up his motorbike, and brought it around to the front steps of the apartment, kicking up dust. My brother was nestled in front, and I held on tight to my grandfather, only a tiny bit afraid I might fall off.

Thatha was known for being on the stricter side as a university professor. But something about spending time with his grandkids during those golden afternoons made him throw all that out the window.

So we careened around street corners and sped past flashing street lights because even my grandfather could be persuaded to ignore traffic lights on occasion. We took in the afternoon warmth of Chennai’s streets and brush of air on our faces, ruffling through my unruly black curls.

Ca-caw! Ca-caw! Crows rode the currents above our heads as we took in the salty ocean air and Thatha eased the motorcycle into the only spot we could find. And of course, we were close enough to see the stalls selling hot coffee and tea, fresh coconut water, ice cream, fried peanuts, bajji, and of course, the best corn anywhere.

But food had to wait. The seashells were calling my name.

I kicked off my sandals, dug my feet into the soft sand, and quickly made my way to the edge of the water to look for interesting shells. And over the course of the evening, my brother and I built sandcastles and splashed in the water,

snuck up on unsuspecting birds, erupted into “accidental” sand throwing fights and took turns burying each other until it was dark and we were shivering from the breeze.

Time flew away from us amidst the laughter and smiles, as gritty sand covered every inch of our sun-soaked bodies. But really, the best part was yet to come.

Stomachs empty and growling, we walked over to a food cart piled high with raw corn and mango with a nearby open flame that bathed our faces in orange-red light.

I felt the heat on my cheeks as I inched closer to the fire. The vendor skillfully shucked off the corn’s green outer covering part way so we could hold on to the cob.

Once it was done roasting, he dusted each and every kernel with an oh-so-savory masala powder made of red chile pepper, salt, black pepper, and cumin powder.

What a magical combination. Of course, in the face of my eagerness, I burnt my tongue more times than I could count.

But it was worth it, and before I knew it, I was huffing and puffing, sweating from the spicy heat of the corn that made my mouth water in ways I never knew it could.

This was corn on the cob. And all it needed was some heat.

As a last adieu to our time at the beach, we’d march into a local ice cream shop, our clothes dripping sand and water on the floor, but we didn’t care. Thatha bought us ice cream—the ones where chocolate lined the cones, a little bit pooling at the bottom—to cool off our tongues on the ride back home.

THE RICHARD M O N TA N E Z S TO RY

BY JUSTINE SEO PHOTO BY MARIA MURAD Hot Cheetos’ reach is wider than the typical vending machine snack food. They have a unique internet presence propagated by celebrities and social media; Katy Perry even dressed up as one of the bright red chips for Halloween in 2014. Before their rise, snacks were salty and bland. Even notable counterparts, like the Nacho Cheese Dorito, paled in comparison. The Hot Cheeto perfectly catered to an evolving American flavor palette and rising internet culture — and it was invented through the home experimentation of a former Frito-Lay janitor.

Although Hot Cheetos have only risen to international fame in recent years, they emerged in the market almost 30 years ago as a result of some genius experimentation and an assembly line error.

In 1992, Richard Montanez, who had been working as a janitor at Frito-Lay for 16 years, took home some Cheetos from a broken machine which had failed to cover them in the iconic orange dust.

As Montanez discusses in his memoir “A Boy, a Burrito, and a Cookie”, years prior to his worldfamous invention, he had had a food business catering to his school cafeteria. Attending school in the 1960s during segregation, Montanez was alienated because of his Mexican heritage and became deeply embarrassed about the burrito he brought for lunch everyday. He begged his mother to pack him something else, but she refused and gave him two instead, telling him to make a friend and share it with them. In a couple days, Montanez was selling burritos to his classmates for 25 cents a piece.

Driven by the same inventive and entrepreneurial spirit, Montanez decided to dust the defective Cheetos himself, inspired by the chili and lime flavoring of one of his childhood snacks — elote, a popular Mexican street food of corn. They were instantly popular among his friends and family.

Montanez called then-Frito-Lay CEO Roger Enrico and asked if he could present his novel invention to him. Enrico accepted.

With a two week deadline to pitch his product on the horizon, Montanez set to work, taking out business books from the library, developing a marketing strategy, and even designing the packing. His presentation was an instant hit with Enrico, and soon after, an entire line of spicy snacks was released from Frito Lay, with Hot Cheetos as the flagship product — and the only one still available today. Staying on the market for so long is an undoubtedly huge feat for a specialty flavor product; they are usually popular for a couple months then slowly cycle out as customers return to the original flavor (a 2005 Schneider / Stagnito Communications study on consumer reaction to product launches showed that about 85% customers stick to products they are already familiar with).

Nowadays, it is rare to find somebody who prefers the original Cheetos to their flavor-packed alternative.

Montanez’s philosophy for creating Hot Cheetos, both as a food and as a brand, serves as an important reminder for us all— to never think you are too small to lead to greatness (maybe by inventing the next internationally-renowned, cultfavorite snack).

H ow A S n ac k B e co m e s F l a m i n ’ H ot penn appétit 27

BY JUSTINE SEO PHOTO BY PINN CHIRATHIVAT 28 penn appétit

It’s amazing the amount of inedible matter that enters our digestive system before the age of 10. Rubber Polly Pocket clothes, swallowed bubble gum — even if you read past the first couple of ingredients on a Lucky Charms box, you’d be skeptical of their labelling as a breakfast item instead of a chemical reaction.

“Perhaps the most shocking item that we regularly consumed, however, was neither food nor toy, but instead claimed to be a strange blend between the two.”

Enter fake-but-real DIY food toys, an amalgam of chemicals and plastic appliances that allowed kindergarteners to whip up cakes, cookies, burgers, and the like. This fascination with making food into a vehicle for playtime doesn’t end there. Some of my fondest memories were made exchanging plastic fruit for fake dollars over a toy cash register, or pretending to make a meal with the wooden appliances at the Pottery Barn Kid store.

In America, the Easy-Bake Oven was huge, selling over 30 million units since its introduction in 1963, and for many decades was seen as the most desirable toy on the market, immediately making the

house of whoever owned one the coolest spot to hang out. In the early 2010’s, Popin Cookin, a Japanese toy kit in which you mix up water with various powders and microwave them to make Play-Dohlike blobs that resemble food, became the new hot thing in toy-foods. In fourth grade, my friends and I were infatuated by these odd food-like forms, using our limited computer lab screen time to watch YouTube videos of people making them and waiting weeks for our own packages to arrive after begging our parents to order them for us from Japan. We even replaced the perfectly fine (and real) snacks that our after school program gave us with these microwaved paste balls.

It seems like these food-based items were attempts to make the tedious motions that we would one day have to go through as adults intriguing, exciting — either in hopes of teaching us how to blend into society or to make us excited about the monotonous tasks and grocery list items we would one day dread.

It is easy to fall out of love with the act of buying and cooking food, even though it is such a wonderful thing. So while we might never go back to the days when pulling an undercooked cupcake out of an LED-light fueled oven gave us an overwhelming sense of joy, we should harbor a similar appreciation for all the food we eat, whether or not it came from an Easy Bake.

JIMMIES

— Your classic, all-American sprinkle — When you think of sprinkles, cylindrical jimmies come to mind — Jimmies are everywhere and are usually found in rainbow or chocolate varieties, a favorite topping on ice cream sundaes and donuts — Just Born, the candy company home to/ responsible for Peeps and Mike and Ikes, claims to have invented the chocolate version and the name “jimmies” — Do they serve any real purpose? When did this become the gold ice cream standard?

SANDING SUGAR

­ The underappreciated friend—you know — these crystal sprinkles exist, but you often forget about their versatility — You’ll typically see these coating sugar cookies, but since larger sanding sugar sprinkles retain their shape in high heat, they’re great for adding a bit of crunch and texture to muffins, scones, and pies

DRAGEÉS

Who doesn’t love sprinkles? Any treat topped with adorably tiny and colorful sprinkles brings a smile to my face. I love finding novelty sprinkles around holidays—little ghosts for Halloween, pastel bunnies and flowers for spring, pink and red hearts for Valentine’s Day. But the sprinkles section in the baking aisle can be overwhelming, albeit mesmerizing. The labels make no sense—what’s a quin? How do you even pronounce “nonpareils”?

Are they all style and no substance? I did some research: turns out, there’s more to sprinkles than meets the eye!

— Shiny, classy, and resembling tiny pearls, these sprinkles live on the edge—the FDA considers silver dragées inedible and only allows for them to be marketed as decoration — You’ll likely find these adorning wedding cakes, but be careful—these may be hard to bite — Fun fact: you can’t buy silver ball dragées in California

QUINS

— Super cheery and youthful but bordering on basic, quins (short for sequins and also known as confetti sprinkles) are flat, matte sugary shapes — These usually appear as multicolored round confetti but can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes such as dinosaurs, cacti, stars, pumpkins, or snowflakes — Don’t taste like anything?

NONPAREILS

— The lively, energetic, can’t-sit-still toddlers of the sprinkle world, tiny, round nonpareils (pronounced “non-pah-rells”) tend to roll everywhere and make a mess of your kitchen counter — Be careful baking with these! Their color will bleed if mixed into cookies or cakes — More often, candies like truffles or SnoCaps are rolled in or topped with nonpareils

all style and no substance?

SPR INK LES

BY EMILY TRUONG PHOTOS BY RIA VIEIRA

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BY ANUSHA MATHUR PHOTO BY DANIEL SHI

32 penn appétit

SHOTS? HEALTHY? Not two words that are usually associated with each other. But, as juice bars continue to pop up across the nation, the wellness shot trend has only gained steam. These tiny drinks are a concentrated mixture of herbs and spices designed to provide health benefits, such as boosting drinkers’ immune system and metabolism.

It is up for debate whether a few ounces of a juice blend can actually cure someone’s sleep deprivation or improve their digestion. But, ingredients like

ginger, wheatgrass, and turmeric are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and essential amino acids. Many have been used as medicinal herbs in non-western cultures for centuries. Here are my thoughts on the wellness shots from Pressed Juicery, a juice bar company with locations throughout the country. Some of them soothe your taste buds while others have quite a kick, so brace yourself…

Elderberry

(honey, elderberry, lemon, cinnamon, cloves) - Birds are singing and churchbells are ringing because I am in LOVE! This shot is bold, but refreshing. While elderberry is typically tart, this drink tastes more malty, like black-tea. It feels like an homage to curling up by the fire on a cold, rainy evening. The combination of the earthy cinnamon and elderberry is striking. But, ultimately, the sweet honey steals the show with its thick, yet even texture.

Wellness (Ginger, Lemon, Cayenne) - This is hailed as the classic health shot. Ginger has powerful antioxdants, lemon is an excellent source of Vitamin C, and cayenne speeds up your metabolism. I am always shocked by the flavor intensity. Although the lemon helps the drink down, the cayenne and ginger burn and tickle the back of your throat, lingering in your mouth after you swallow.

Tart cherry

(red tart cherries) - In an age where most wellness shots strive for complexity and seek to combine ingredients, this shot provides much needed simplicity.

But don’t be so quick to judge. This drink isn’t 20 cherries tossed in a blender. The rich, juicy cherries calm the palette while the sweet and sticky flavor lingers on your lips, leaving you wanting more.

Vitality

(coconut water, turmeric, lemon, and black pepper) - If you’re drawn to bold and earthy flavors, then this drink is for you. The turmeric is the star of the show, but doesn’t kick you in the gut. The coconut water brings a nutty sweetness while the hint of black pepper adds a woody flavor. Close your eyes to experience the complex subtlety of the flavors; you won’t want to miss them.

Probiotic

(apple, red cabbage, lemon, ginger, and probiotic) - Many foodies are adamant that green things have no place in drinks. If you belong to that camp, this shot may be a good introduction for you. The ginger and tart lemon take a backseat, but add a necessary counterbalance to the apple’s dominating sweetness. Best of all, you get the health benefits of cabbage, including antioxidants and vitamins, without having to taste it!

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BY GABY BONINA PHOTOS BY DANIEL SHI The contemporary cocktail bar is one that you can find right in your home if you have the right ingredients. If you’re looking to stash a few new tricks up your sleeves when it comes to fine cocktails and spirits, below is a collection of some of the best party shots that you can show off to your friends on your virtual BYO.

1. Girl Scout Cookie

4. birthday cake

For when your cravings kick in on the off-season...

For when you need help swallowing the fact that you’re getting old...

Ingredients: • 1/2 oz coffee liqueur (Kahlua is my personal favorite) • 1/2 oz ​Irish cream liqueur (Bailey’s is the most popular) • 1/2 oz ​peppermint schnapps (can substitute creme de menthe)

Ingredients: • 3/4 oz Vodka (I like Smirnoff vanilla vodka) • 3/4 oz Frangelico Liqueur • Fresh Lemon Wedge • Tsp. Sugar

Directions: Gather the ingredients.

Pour the liqueurs into an ​ice-filled cocktail shaker.

Shake well, strain into shot glasses, and serve.

2. B-52

For when you want to listen to Love Shack and groove...

Directions: Fill a shot glass with equal parts vodka and Frangelico hazelnut liqueur.

Serve with a lemon wedge coated in granulated sugar.

5. spicy mango

For when you want to pretend you’re on the beach in Mexico...

Ingredients: • 1/2 oz Kahlua • 1/2 oz Baileys Irish Cream • 1/2 oz Grand Marnier Directions: Pour the Kahlua into a shot glass.

Pouring slowly over the back of a spoon or with a bottle pourer*, add an equal layer of Baileys Irish Cream.

Still pouring slowly over the spoon or with a pourer, add the layer of Grand Marnier. *When you use the spoon, be sure to have it upside down against the edge of the shot glass and pour your spirits very, very slowly to keep the layers separated.

Ingredients: • 2 oz tequila • 1 oz lime juice • 3 oz mango puree • Tajín Powder (for rim) • Sriracha (for drizzle) Directions: Rim the edge of the shot glass using a lime wedge and Tajín powder.

In a shaking glass with ice, combine tequila, lime juice, and mango puree. Shake well.

Drizzle Sriracha hot sauce in the base of your rimmed shot glass and strain mix over.

Garnish with a lime wedge.

3. JÄgerbomb

For when you just want to get plastered...

Ingredients: • 1 oz Jägermeister • Red Bull

Directions: Place a shot glass filled with Jägermeister inside of another glass.

Fill the outer glass with Red Bull until the liquid on the outside of the shot glass is level with the liquid on the inside.

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EMPANADAS:

BY GABY BONINA PHOTOS BY SHIRLEY YANG

I love empanadas — the meditative process of making them by hand, the feeling of nearly burning the roof of my mouth, steam billowing out of the pocket while my overeager self munches.

Empanadas tie me not only to my own culture but to so many others as well.

There are countless different varieties that it’s hard to keep track of, and with many of us learning to make new foods during quarantine, they are a great way to learn about another country while enjoying a scrumptious, bite-sized snack.

For me, empanadas are a symbol of home and heritage. Growing up with a mom from Ecuador, empanadas were a part of my life from a very young age. Summers in Ecuador called for making empanadas with my Abuelita in the kitchen, learning the intricate folds that encompassed the broad range of empanada flavors and fillings. As my cultural appreciation grew each summer, so did my love of the delicious, bite-sized snack. An integral part of my upbringing and so many others around the world, the history and cultural relativity of the empanada is a rich narrative.

The word for “empanada” comes from the Spanish word, empanar, which means to be embreaded/put inside bread. Empanadas trace their origins back to Galicia, Spain around the medieval Iberian time period of Moorish invasions. It is said that the Moors brought their meat-filled samosas to the Catalan region, which spurred the creation of the empanada. Eventually, empanadas were brought to Central and South America by Spanish colonizers, and to this day remain a central part of the cuisine in these countries.

The best thing about empanadas? It seems that just about every culture, and related regions, have their own traditional pocket or meat pie. Here are a few:

A CULTURE TRIP In El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, empanadas are made with a plantainbased dough. Some common fillings are mozzarella cheese (Nicaragua), custard (El Salvadorian “Postres de La Cipota”), or beans (Costa Rica).

In Italy, Sicily in particular, Mpanatigghis are chocolate-beef-filled cookies thought to be adopted from the Spanish during their 16th-century rule.

The unusual filling is made of a mixture of almonds, walnuts, chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and minced beef.

In the Philippines, fillings include green papaya, mung beans, and sometimes chopped Ilocano sausage (chorizo) or longaniza and egg yolk in the northern part of the Ilocos. Other locations, such as Zamboanga, have fillings such as sweet potato and garbanzo beans, often being served with sweet vinegar dipping sauce.

In Galicia and Portugal, empanada gallegas are large double-crust pies filled with tuna, chorizo, or sardines that are then cut into slices and shared.

In Ecuador, street vendors tout a variety of typical South American baked empanadas, but the “Empanada de Viento” is Ecuador’s most distinctive and popular empanada. The treat is filled with cheese, and as the empanadas fry, the dough becomes puffed and crisp and the cheese gooey and melted. Dusted with sugar on the outside, you get a mix of sweet and savory as you bite into the empanada.

In Argentina, empanadas are an integral part of dinner parties and festivals. Some of the most popular fillings include beef, olive, and egg (mendocinas), ham and cheese, spinach and leek, and humita (sweet corn and cream) — among many others.

In Indonesia, panadas are usually made with a thick and fried bread and filled with spicy cakalang fish (skipjack tuna), chili, curry, potatoes, or quail eggs — largely influenced by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century.

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penn appĂŠtit 41

BY H E L E N W U, P H OTO BY P I N N C H I R AT H I VAT

F

lavor enhancers are ingredients with chemical compounds that intensify the natural flavor of your food. Unlike traditional spices, which impart a specific flavor, flavor enhancers bring the extra oomph to your dish without overpowering or altering its natural flavor. Even sparing additions during and after your cooking process can go a long way.

42 penn appĂŠtit

PURE UMAMI

O

f the five tastes, umami is the most elusive and subtle of them all. Usually appearing alongside stronger flavors, it is hard to pinpoint the taste of umami. This special flavor is the chemical compound monosodium glutamate, or the highly stigmatized “MSG” common in Asian cuisines. Despite our aversion to scary sounding chemicals in food, many studies have shown that MSG is perfectly safe to eat— plus, it imparts a subtle and almost meaty flavor to your dishes, without actually adding meat.

MSG is a foundational flavor enhancer that can be purchased in its “pure” form at most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. You can use it just about anywhere you would use salt— for stir fries, meat dishes, soup, anything your experimental cooking desires. For most dishes serving four to six people, half a teaspoon will suffice.

Other Tips and Tricks

B

efore glutamate was identified and isolated to be sold commercially, cooks were already using umami-rich ingredients. These may be ingredients that you have unconsciously been adding to your dishes, such as dried tomatoes and mushrooms, parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, etc.

Fermented foods have a very high glutamate content that will achieve these similar effects. Try fish sauce, a liquid made from fermented fish and salt. It is extremely popular in South and Southeast Asian cooking, making it perfect for stir fry dishes, Asian carbs, and curries. Another recommended ferment is miso paste, which is made from fermented soybeans. Use in soups, broths, you know the drill.

Many grocery stores sell bite-sized items that you can plop into your dishes and elevate your cooking. Bouillon stock cubes, curry cubes, and other condensed and compact sauces can transform a flavorless boiling pot of water into a deliciously thick curry or broth in minutes. They are easy to store, have a shelf life of several months, and provide a mindless way to make flavorful soups and stews without boiling bones or whole chickens.

An underrated way to add a meaty or seafoody flavor to your soups and broth without using bones or meat is to boil water with kombu (dried seaweed) and/or dried anchovies. The result is a clear and subtly flavored broth Good news: Asian grocery stores sell these ingredients in pre-made tea bags!

Don’t forget one of the easiest ways to enhance the flavors of your dishes, which is to balance seasonings. A dash of salt to accentuate the sweet of a cookie, or an acidic squeeze of lemon on a fatty steak. These are the bite-sized techniques that will make the most profound changes in your cooking.

JOHN & KIRA’S CHOCOLATIERS PHOTO & COPY BY DHIVYA ARASAPPAN Chocolate. Honey. Caramel. Bees.

Imagine sinking your teeth into a thin 62% Valrhona dark chocolate shell that cracks to release a strand of silky golden salted caramel perfect for any caramel lover. But this isn’t just any caramel—it’s been infused with a locally sourced and fragrant honey that truly puts it on top.

I could eat that caramel by the spoonful, no doubt. But what brings it home is the beautiful interplay between the chocolate shell that beautifully cuts the oozing caramel center.

Of course, these Chocolate Honey Caramel Bees aren’t just a taste for the tongue—they’re a sight for your eyes too. On the outside, they’re carefully

airbrushed with stripes of yellow and black cocoa butter to resemble a bumblebee, antennas and all, making these chocolates, if I do say so myself, the bee’s knees.

John & Kira’s, a Philly-based small business, is responsible. They specialize in all types of artisanal, hand-made chocolates from their signature raspberry Ladybugs to chocolate figs filled with a whiskey-infused dark chocolate ganache.

They also have an impressive selection of ganaches, which have been infused with delicate flavors including lemongrass, Papohaku Farm ginger, fresh mint and strawberry as the cream is heated and mixed into milk or dark Valrhona chocolate.

As a small business, John & Kira’s involves a core crew in each step: from creating each chocolate to packaging and shipping them off. Their products are lovingly handcrafted with a great deal of intention and artistry to make each bite feel like magic.

This past month, I had the chance to speak over the phone with Sara Miller, Nora Alek, and head chef Angela Sticco. *This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I saw a little bit about the fall selection as well. A lot of pumpkin— can you talk a little bit about your more fall themed flavors?

Sarah: The pumpkins are a spiced caramel—like a fall spiced caramel. It’s made with a dulce chocolate which is a white chocolate that is toasted to give it a caramelized depth. The white chocolate is a milk-based and cocoa butter so it’s that toasted milk flavor. And then that’s blended in with the caramelized sugar to get a really velvety sort of texture. So

it’s not like, super gooey like the ways our bees are really free flowing, and then some of the other caramels are like, much more dense but these are like, I don’t know... They’re perfect. So that’s in a dark chocolate shell and then it’s painted with a colored cocoa butter to look like a pumpkin, and then usually Angela— sometimes someone else is talented enough to do it—they pipe the chocolate stems in a green colored chocolate on top.

Nora: It’s nice because it gives us that individualized, hand-stamped feel on every piece of chocolate. This is kind of a big part of the way our chocolates are presented—each piece is handcrafted.

The other thing I should mention is our Autumn Leaves Trio. And those are a 62% dark chocolate shell and they are filled with three different varieties of milk chocolate ganache, which is also maybe worth noting because a lot of our chocolate is either dark, or it’s like a blend of dark and milk or praline or whatever.

But these are like one of the few boxes

that has just milk chocolate ganache inside with a brown butter flavor, a maple bourbon, and a chai tea. And then they’re just painted with a light metallic fall tone.

And those are also delicious, delicious.

Sarah: Also with the pumpkins, usually someone will have to be practicing their stems so the odds that there’s going to be ones that aren’t going to be good enough to box that have to be tasted tested and eaten—that’s something I look forward to.

What are the popular seasonal chocolates that you have for the winter? Anything new this year?

Nora: For the new items, we have two really exciting chocolates for this year— we have the meltable ornaments and they’re doing ganache ornaments that melt once they’re heated up with your choice of a mixer. So they turn into a hot chocolate and those are really fun and interactive… We’re all just excited about this ornament because it’s a totally new

thing for us. And then we’re also doing truffles this year which will be really really interesting to have that as well as the Peppermint Pinwheels that are coming back. We have the Enchanted Forest Trio, and also the Snowflakes that are our seasonal chocolates. The Snowflakes are my personal favorites—they’re praline so for anyone that likes hazelnuts and pistachio and pecan, those are the ones.

[Angela Chicco, head chef, pops in to join the conversation] Hi Angela!

I’d love to ask you a little bit about your process and, you know, your inspiration for designing these chocolates.

So I’ve done a fair amount of traveling and so definitely taken a lot of inspiration for things I’ve seen and things I’ve eaten in other countries and just my travels over all. A few years ago, I went to Ecuador to visit a plantation and see how the chocolate was produced and it really opened my eyes to how intricate penn appétit 45

everything is. It almost feels like the more I learn, the more I start to wonder how this ever works. When people eat a piece of chocolate they have absolutely no idea what went into making that get here. And so many steps have to go right for things to end up correct.

That’s really neat! Can you tell me about your citrus and white chocolate collection and doing something a little different with that?

We wanted to do something with citrus, basically, and then I started thinking about how citrus and white chocolate go really well together. We don’t do a lot with white chocolate. Mostly because we never—honestly I never really had one that I actually liked. And so I wanted to make a box, to make a whole collection that kind of showcased that white chocolate in particular because I don’t normally really eat white chocolate and this one was really special.

Angela on milking cows in the chocolate making process...

So did you hear about how I milked the cow? That was crazy. That was an experience. Basically this small town in Ecuador is where they get all of their milk from. The cocoa beans come from there.

Everything comes from right around this little village and everything just seemed like so—it was just so special to actually be there and meet the people that are doing these things. I just felt like I had to come up with some way to use it.

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Can you talk a little bit about how you come up with your ideas for flavors?

A lot of times when we actually come up with things, it’ll just be an idea. In the kitchen, we’ll just talk about things and be like “Oh citrus, we don’t do anything with citrus.” Last year, we launched the Chocolatier’s collection. It kind of started with me just thinking about how we don’t really talk enough about the actual chocolate that we’re using. And so I wanted to just come up with a few things that showcase more of the depth of flavor in each chocolate. So for that box it really just started with me thinking like okay I want to do something with a plain dark chocolate ganache with a really really special dark chocolate and nothing else in it, so that you can really taste the flavor.

So that’s one of the pieces I’m talking about is called Guanaja. It just started with me really liking that chocolate and then figuring out a way to use it. And then it became ok well what else can we put in there? It ended up being called the Chocolatier’s Collection and that’s kind of how the idea starts—we just sort of talk about things and throw different flavors around.

With a small business, like John & Kira’s where the entire chocolate making process is done in one place, what’s the trial and testing process like?

The process and actually testing the recipes is very complicated but actually the bare bones of it is pretty simple when you think about it. I come up with a formula for making it and we taste it. And then it’s just a constant going

back to it to taste it again to see how it develops. Chocolate is really hard to test with because things have to crystallize for a long time so it’s never just like doing something, and tasting it in one day and doing several variations in one day, that never works. We do not do gigantic batches of things, but we do fairly large batches when we’re making things in actual production. So to test things, I have to try to do it in the same way that we will be making it in actual production.

That means if a piece is airbrushed, it has to be airbrushed, and then shell molded and filmed on the first day. And then the second day, we tap it, and knock it out the mold. And so when I’m testing things I have to stick to that timeline. Otherwise, I’ll never really know how the product can change. So that makes it difficult, having to wait like two to three days to figure out if I like something.

How did you enter the world of chocolates? What drew you to this?

It was a journey. I went to culinary school and then I finished that, and I wanted to learn more about pastry and mostly bread and chocolate. I didn’t want to go back to school because honestly, I couldn’t afford it because I was already an adult and I had to work. So I found a way to go to France, and basically learn without having to pay.

So I did an apprenticeship there for a few months and I lived for the French family.

And I worked with them. I worked for free in their place and I also lived with them.

I did that for a few months and I loved it. And I made some chocolates there and a lot of bread. And I just realized like ‘oh my god, I think I’m better at things that take time to make.’ I’m very meticulous

and detail oriented, and a lot of the stuff we do with chocolate, it’s almost like a meditation. That sounds so silly, but it really is true. You just have to be able to stand there and do something for a long time, or wait for something for a long time.

After that, I came home and I worked for a small local chocolate company that since then went out of business. But I helped the owner kind of get it off the ground. And then, I worked for a couple other places in Philly and then I ended up living in Italy for a few years. And I started to learn a lot more about specific ingredients like chocolate, cheese, bread and wine and these are all made the same way, especially wine and chocolate are very very similar. So then when I came home I was just like “what am I gonna do with my life? I don’t know what to do but I want to explore these things that I was learning.” So, I found an app for John and Kira’s on Craigslist. It was a seasonal position. I started in August. I was supposed to leave in December. And that was ten years ago. When I came here, I just really learned like I actually really love this and I think I’m good at it. I’ve just stuck with it.

So how have things changed over these 10 years for you?

So much. I’m still learning everyday.

Chocolate is endless, the amount that you learn. I think that’s why I like doing it, because it’s never ending the amount of things you can do. I mean, so much has happened to John and Kira’s. Oh my god. The product line has expanded like—it feels like five times what we were doing when I came here. And I learned

a lot about myself, and like, how I can somehow persevere through really really difficult things. I think at this point, I just keep going because I actually do love it.

Could you tell me about your favorite chocolate?

Okay. Currently, the thing that I love here that we make is the cappuccino piece in the Chocolatier’s Collection. And I was looking at them the other day and I really love the flavors. The way it looks on the outside and the way it looks on the inside, I did it intentionally because I want it to look like a cappuccino. The outside is airbrushed half white and half goldish color. The inside is half white chocolate ganache, half espresso ganache. Just the bitterness of the coffee and the chocolate and then there’s the little bit of sweetness from the vanilla ganache inside. I don’t know it’s just been a really, really well rounded flavor.

DECODING DIM SUM Y

ou enter the restaurant, and you find yourself at the back of a hoard of hungry people, in what seems like a loosely organized line. This is disheartening. However, you soon realize that the pack is diminishing very quickly, and soon it will be your turn to enjoy this delicious occasion.

Once the tantalizing dumplings, buns, pastries, and desserts are in sight and smell, the small wait fades into a distant memory.

For people who did not grow up fighting over the last har gow with a table full of extended family, dim sum can be intimidating. How do you order? What do you order? How does this all work? When it comes to dim sum, the more the merrier. That applies to both people and dishes. This is a hectic meal that you eat bite-by-bite between slurps of hot tea and gossip, chopsticks ready for the moment the food lands on the table. Penn AppĂŠtit has created a guide to help you navigate the massive yet bite-sized ordeal of Cantonese dim sum.

BY HELEN WU ILLUSTRATIONS BY DONNA LIU

A

ORDERING

fter sitting down at your table, you wait patiently for your menu, until you realize that your waiter is too busy and may have forgotten about you. Don’t worry. They will come to you eventually and plop a flimsy sheet of paper on your table. Not quite the menu you expected, huh?

Before you order any food, order tea.

Experiment with varieties — pu erh (an earthy black tea), chrysanthemum (a light and sweet herbal tea), oolong (a classy Chinese tea), and long jing (a fresh and grassy green tea) — and find your favorite! The Cantonese brunch tradition of tea and dim sum is referred to as Yum Cha, which literally translates to “drinking tea. If you’re undecided, the waiter might be able to help you out and bring an anonymous tea of their choice for you— it happens. So you have it here: Yum Cha is the meal, dim sum is the food you eat with the tea at the meal.

There are two general ways to order

dim sum, which depends entirely on the restaurant. The first is the traditional cart method. This is easy. Workers roll out carts of steaming hot dim sum, you pick out the heavenly bites of your choice, and the waiter/waitress stamps your dim sum card. Don’t lose this — it’s your final bill.

The second method is the made-toorder approach. This can be slightly more difficult. You are given the dim sum card with the names of the dim sum, and you mark which items you want. Note: there are no pictures... This is why Penn Appétit came up with this easy guide for you!

Below is a breakdown of most of the amazing choices you will find in dim sum. Since each dim sum is unique, the sections are organized in descending order of approachability and accessibility.

Old timers of dim sum, you probably already have a list like this in your head.

FIRST TIME ORDERS

BACK & READY TO TRY SOMETHING NEW

Dishes anyone with or without dim sum experience will surely love.

Your relationship with dim sum is starting to get serious, and you’re willing to experiment.

Har gow: a shrimp dumpling encased in a beautiful translucent and chewy skin, which has more bite to it than your average dumpling skin.

Lo bak gao/ pan fried turnip cake: Unlike the other meatier options, this dish is based around a root vegetable. It is crispy on the inside, creamy and soft on the inside, with delightful pieces of cured ham sprinkled throughout.

Char siu bao or char siu pastry: char siu is a delicious Cantonese barbecued pork that comes in a beautifully soft bun or buttery flaky pastry.

Cheung fun: beef, shrimp, or char siu pork wrapped in a rice noodle casing, doused in delicious soy sauce Bonus: get the zha liang, a type of cheung fun with fried doll in the middle for extra textural variation!

Shu mai: a pork and shrimp dumpling presented with an open top where you can peer into the filling. Can’t go wrong with this one!

Soup dumplings: despite being a Shanghainese specialty, most Cantonese dim sum restaurants will feature these pork dumplings filled with juicy pork filling and rich broth in every bite.

Steamed ribs: the best pork has to offer.

Umami, juicy, and tender bone-in pork spare rib.

Steamed rice with chicken in lotus leaf/ lo mai gai: Unwrapping this dish feels like unboxing a present. The lotus leaf wrap imparts a fresh and aromatic infusion onto the chicken and sticky rice.

Fried taro dumpling: these multilayered dumplings have a crispy outer crust, soft taro fillings, and then juicy and flavorful bites of pork at the center.

Pork and thousand year egg congee: a light and soupy rice dish that will fill you with warm fuzziness. The pork and marinated egg impart a savory and umami flavor to every spoonful of congee.

FOR THE MORE ADVENTUROUS OR EXPERIENCED

If you are ready to dine without inhibition, order these.

Chicken feet: a personal favorite. The meat is so wonderfully marinated and flavorful, every bite is so tender the bones practically fall out themselves.

Fried glutinous rice dumplings with pork/ ham sui gok: a special “dumpling”. The wrapper is fried mochi, and the filling is savory juicy pork. You’ll get it when you try it.

Beef tripe: Steamed tripe with ginger and scallions. A clean and simple flavor accompanied by a chewy texture.

Durian puffs: So yes, durian is notorious for its smell. But what most non-durian lovers don’t tell you is that the fruit is sweet and creamy. Liken this to a puff pastry with custard, but better.

SWEET DISHES

People typically don’t save them for the end of the meal. You see it, you order it, and you eat as they arrive on your table.

Egg tart/ dan tat: this is the classic egg custard in a puff pastry shell.

Lava custard bun: a soft white bun filled with an oozy lava like egg custard. Be careful, the contents are hot and delicious!

Sesame balls/ jian dui: If you enjoy mochi, you will love this fried ball of mochi, covered in sesame seeds and filled with red bean paste.

Pineapple buns: warm baked buns topped with a sugar topping that resembles the pattern of a pineapple, hence its name (no actual pineapple flavor). They are sometimes filled with custard, sometimes butter, sometimes nothing; but they are always good.

Inside My Power Rangers Lunchbox

BY REBECCA JIANG ILLUSTRATION BY MALIA KEALALUHI

“Elementary school cafeterias

always terrified me.“

T

hrough the eyes of a nervous Asian-American third grader, they were arenas of social ascension and exhibition, mediated by the contents of my Power Rangers lunchbox. I dreaded taking out my tupperware of last night’s leftovers — steamed ground pork and salted eggs on top of lukewarm rice. The smell and unusual look of my meal would invoke strange looks from peers and the occasional, “What…is that?” I began resenting my mom’s meals, desperately wishing for the PB&J’s and Lunchables that seemed to characterize the concept of an “American childhood.”

As I got older, I realized how much I loved growing up with my family’s after-school snacks and my grandma’s Sunday-night dinners. Devouring

pack after pack of oblong rice crackers in my kitchen is a memory I would never trade. And now, the smell of my mom’s green onion pancakes and steamed eggs always brings me back to mornings in my Spongebob pajamas that I wore a little too often.

Thinking about how much my culture influenced my nostalgic foods, I wanted to learn more about how others’ geographic and cultural upbringings influenced the foods they ate as children — the snacks they’ll never get enough of and the family recipes that never seem to be right when they’re not made at home.

I reached out to a few Penn students to find out. But what made me more happy than hearing their stories was seeing how excited they were to tell them.

“Brigadeiro — the typical Brazilian dessert, we have it at

every birthday party so it reminds me of celebrating birthdays with friends. We also have it when we break up with people, kind of like ice cream”

- Julia Sachs

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“I played a lot of basketball growing up, and parents would always bring tangerines and spam musubi for after practice and after-game snacks. They remind me of home, my culture, my family, and I love that wherever I find spam musubi — Hawaii, Little Tokyo, the Japanese grocery store, homemade, or a restaurant in Philly — everyone has their own way of making them”

- Alyssa Furukawa

“[Thit Kho] is usually eaten in Vietnam on special occasions, and with exactly 12 eggs for luck. When you put it in the fridge, the fat from the pork congeals in a strange way that all Vietnamese people seem to know… One of my youngest memories is eating thit kho in my favorite plastic Cinderella bowl. She would chop up the tomatoes and cucumbers into tiny slices, and mush the egg into the rice for me. At the time I hated eating it that way, but even now as a collegeaged student, sometimes I ask her to prepare it that way for me because it makes me feel younger and closer to her.”

- Jade Margolis

“My grandmas used to feed me Kashmiri food with their hands and I remember thinking it tasted so much better because it had their love.”

- Shyan Koul

“Joomukbab … My mother used to cook this for dinner on days where she was drained from her day job. My mom was a single mom throughout my childhood so coming home after a full day of working must have been difficult; yet, she always made time to make us meals and discuss with us about our days. My sister and I would help my mom make these (mostly eating them while she formed each one). It was a memorable time of bonding. I miss those days.”

- Izi Lee I used to always take for granted the random Saturday grocery trips to my neighborhood Asian market that my mom would drag me along to. But I’ve realized that those stores were the best playgrounds I could ask for — riding on the rails of the shopping cart through aisles of produce, enchanted by the tanks of live seafood in the back, and throwing a box of Hello Panda cookies into the cart when my mom wasn’t looking.

Now, as I return to the same Asian market as a 19-year-old college student, I look back on the unchanged shelves that house my culinary childhood, and I feel proud to share them with friends, showing them the bite-sized things that made me who I am. penn appétit 53

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R

g

ol l in

Re Family Tradition

BY EMILY TRUONG PHOTO BY SHIRLEY LI The best foods are often the simplest, but simple isn’t always synonymous with boring.

Bánh pâte sô, also known as pâté chaud, is a staple in my family. These warm, flaky Vietnamese hand pies don’t last long in our house once they’re pulled from the oven, and like any Vietnamese dish, pâté chaud’s beauty lies in its simplicity: its few ingredients and easy process make it the perfect snack.

Influenced by French cuisine, as with bánh mì and bánh xèo, pâté chaud takes savory ground meat—typically pork, though sometimes chicken or beef—and a combination of seasoned vegetables and wraps it all up in crimped puff pastry brushed with an egg wash. Each family’s recipe varies slightly: some use mushrooms and others fish sauce, some cut their pastry into rectangles or squares or triangles. My grandmother’s recipe uses pork, diced onions, and a bit of sugar, and she forms her pâté chaud into circular pies.

I can’t remember the first time I ate pâté chaud, but I remember learning to make it. I had to have been around ten years

old, sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen one summer afternoon. The lights were turned off because the bright Texas sun streaming in from the windows was enough to illuminate the small kitchen, and I watched carefully as she seasoned and shaped the meat, diligently committing every step to memory. She let me cut the puff pastry into threeinch rounds, and we rolled and re-rolled the scrap dough till every bit was used.

Later, as my mom drove me home with a container of fresh, still-warm pate chaud sitting in the seat beside me, I felt so proud of myself.

Now, if there’s ever defrosted puff pastry in the fridge, then that day is as good a day as any for a quick batch of pâté chaud. I’ll eat them any time of day — for breakfast, in between classes, or for a midnight snack. To me, pâté chaud is an undeniable connection to my family; it’s a reminder of childhood, of summers spent at my grandparents’ house, of quarantine food swaps with my aunt. It’s a simple enough snack, but it means so much more.

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Making the world go round:

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY TINY, ROUND DESSERTS?

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BY ANUSHKA DASGUPTA PHOTOS BY ERICA XIN The smell of cardamom, the sharp sizzling sound of oil, and the weight of damp heat. Every time my family went back to Kolkata, one of our first stops was to pick up a pack of rosogolla: a small, snowball-like dessert. At the local mishti (sweets) shop down the street, eager customers would line up at dawn for their freshly made, boxed sweets.

Among the array of thirty-something mishti, the rosogolla always seemed to sell out first.

The official dessert of West Bengal, these dumplings are soaked in sugar and made of a squishy Indian cottage cheese. They’re incredibly syrupy and spongy, and although there’s no true Western equivalent, think of it like a form of a ricotta dessert. Much to my parents’ disappointment, I dislike them.

I much prefer gulab jamun or ladoo, two other ball-shaped desserts. Gulab jamun is fried and saffron-infused, while lado is nutty, made from gram flour.

It’s curious how among the numerous Indian desserts, so many are small and round.

But when I think of round desserts, I also think of buckeyes. Buckeyes are balls of peanut butter fudge dipped in chocolate, leaving a ring to resemble a buckeye. Growing up in the Midwest (think: OSU Buckeyes), many of my friends’ parents would prepare them for birthday parties.

It’s not just Indian culture that loves their desserts smooth and bite-sized.

The obsession seems to be universal.

“American cake pops. Swiss truffles.

Brazillian brigadeiros.

French profiteroles.

Japanese mochi.

Chinese fried sesame balls. Nigerian puffpuffs. It goes on.”

For Indian sweets, it’s understandable: many mishti are powerfully sweet. You could not eat a large portion of rosogolla even if you wanted — the sweetness would be overwhelming. There’s a scientific reason for this. Many of these milk-based sweets predate refrigeration, and the use of excess sugar allowed these desserts to set and stay fresh.

Truffles too are incredibly rich, made from ganache, coated in chocolate and cocoa powder. Our American definition of a truffle differs from the true Swiss meaning. While we might envision a box of Russell Stover chocolates, by definition, truffles are balls filled with chocolate ganache. A copious serving of truffles would be overpoweringly rich, desensitizing us from the flavor.

Similarly, buckeyes are too sugary and rich to eat more than a few, but the ball shape makes for a cute design and perfect serving size.

Balls seem to be the perfect vehicle for desserts: small and sweet, but also so aesthetically pleasing.

For instance, puff-puffs are balls of fried dough that can be made plain, savory, or sweet. Comparable to doughnuts,

beignets, or zepelles, puff-puffs are common in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Ghana.

When the dough is dropped in hot oil, they swell, ‘puffing’ up. Getting perfect, round puff-puffs is an art, tricky after the dough-rising and frying process.

There’s also something about how easy it is to roll a dessert in your hands — think of rolling cake and icing into birthday cake pops or for brigadeiros, a thickened mixture of sweetened condensed milk and cocoa. As you’ve probably made cookie dough balls, it’s a process that’s fun, and also a process easily masterable.

Round desserts are so common that it’s likely you’ve never even noticed the numerous types. Among their parallels, there’s also variety; wherever you are in the world, you’ll probably find a new kind.

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MAUI ONION & GARLIC

BY ALYSSA FURUKAWA ILLUSTRATION BY MALIA KEALALUHI

Ingredients: • • • • • •

1 cup roasted nut of choice (recommended: macadamia nut) ½ tsp olive oil ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp salt 1 ½ tsp lemon juice (if roasting in the pan)

Directions: 1.

2.

3.

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Combine garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.

Toss nuts in olive oil to coat.

Toss nuts in seasoning mixture to coat.

Directions for if you have raw nuts: 1.

2.

Oven Roast: Roast your nuts on a sheet tray at 350 degrees for no longer than 15 minutes. Check in 5 minutes intervals. Be sure to watch for excessive browning and burning.

In the Pan: Put the olive oil in the pan first and heat for 1-2 min. Then, add seasoning mixture with lemon juice to the pan and stir until combined.

Finally, add the nuts and cook while stirring for 5 minutes.

CHILI ROASTED

Ingredients: • • • • •

2 cups roasted or raw nuts (recommended: whole cashews) 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp vegetable oil ½ tsp cayenne pepper

3.

If the spices start to form clumps, simply add a teaspoon of water and break up the clump with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until water evaporates and the spices cling to the nuts.

Directions: 1.

2.

Add oil and nuts to a pan on medium heat. Toss in the pan to coat. Cook for 5 minutes or until nuts start to become fragrant.

Add spices to the pan and toss to coat. Cook for 5-10 more minutes or until fragrant, careful not to burn the spices.

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Yuzu Rose Mascarpone Craquelin RECIPE BY AHN NGO ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH CHAN

INGREDIENTS

For the Yuzu Mascarpone filling:

For the Craquelin crust: ½ stick unsalted butter, softened at room temperature ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup white sugar ⅛ tsp salt Red or Pink gel food coloring ¼ tsp rose water (optional)

For the Pâte à Choux pastry:

1 stick unsalted butter 1 cup water 2 tsp white sugar ¼ tsp salt 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 whole eggs

¼ cup yuzu puree ½ cup unsweetened milk 2 egg yolks ½ cup granulated sugar – splitted into 2 equal parts ½ tsp gelatin powder 1 tbsp + 1tsp all-purpose flour ½ cup heavy cream 1 cup mascarpone, softened at room temperature 1 lemon, zested

PREP TIME:

yuzu rose marscapone craquelin If you’ve ever adored the beauty of distinctly decorative profiteroles with a crackly speckled topping at French pastry shops, look no further. Craquelin, cracker in French, is an easy trick to gussy up your cream puff game.

DIRECTIONS DIRECTIONS

2 hours

Cook time: 30 minutes

Yields:

30 craquelin puffs

For the Craquelin crust:

1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar, then add the flour and continue to mix the dough until it’s smooth. Add in the flavoring (rose water) and food coloring, if desired. This step can also be done with a food processor.

2. Put the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out the dough until it is about ⅛ inch thick. Slide the dough on a baking sheet and freeze the dough.

For the Pâte à Choux pastry: 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.

2. Combine the butter, water, milk, salt, and granulated sugar together in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly.

3. Once the butter is melted and small bubbles appear, immediately add in the flour, and fold the dough quickly to

prevent the flour from clumping together. Continue stirring until the mixture is no longer sticking to the pan and forms a thick dough. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.

4. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. At first, the mixture will look separated, but keep mixing until fully incorporated.

Transfer the dough into a piping bag.

5. Pipe the choux pastry into 2-inch mounds. Use a water moistened finger to smooth down the peaks.

6. Remove the Craquelin crust from the freezer and let it defrost for a minute. Using a round cookie cutter about the same diameter as the puffs, cut out circles of the dough and place them on top of the puffs.

7. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 12 more minutes. Do not open 8.

the oven door! If the craquelin crust browns too quickly in the oven, cover the whole tray with a sheet of aluminum foil.

When the profiteroles are done, open the oven door and let it cool down gradually for 15 minutes before taking them out. This will prevent the cream puff from shrinking as a result of sudden temperature change. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before piping in the filling.

1. For the Yuzu Mascarpone filling: 2.

3.

4.

In a bowl, mix ½ of the sugar and the egg yolks together. Sift the flour into the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste.

In a saucepan, add milk, yuzu puree, lemon zest and bring the mixture just to boiling. Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.

Pour the egg mixture through a strainer into the saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling. Whisk the mixture constantly until it becomes thick.

Remove from heat. Pour the custard into a clean bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Cool to room

5. temperature.

In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peak. Fold the mascarpone into the custard mixture. Then, fold in the whipped cream and mix well.

Assemble:

Cut the profiteroles into halves. Pipe a ring of the creamy filling onto the lower halves, then top it with the upper halves.

THE TRUTHS Gambas AND TRENDS OF

farm

to

table

EATING

BY SOPHIE QUAGLIA GRAPHICS BY HAILIE GOLDSMITH

al

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GARLIC SHRIMP

4 Servings PREP TIME: 5 minutes COOK TIME: 5 minutes minutes 10 YIELDS: TIME: 4COOK servings 10 minutes

BY RANDY BACH ILLUSTRATIONS BY SONIA SHAH

INGREDIENTS • 1 lb raw shrimp, thawed and peeled • 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced • 1/4 cup of olive oil • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped • Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS 1. Finely mince garlic and chop parsley. Set aside.

2. Place shrimp in a bowl, season with paprika and mix in lemon juice.

3. Heat oil on low in a skillet. Add garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes until

fragrant. Since it will remain in the pan, don’t let it burn early! The garlic should be a light golden brown.

4. Turn heat to medium and add seasoned shrimp. Sauté for 5 minutes until shrimp turns pink and is fully cooked through. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper before turning off the heat.

5. Transfer the entirety of the pan (including the shrimp and leftover oil) into a serving bowl and stir in parsley.

6. Served best fresh-off-the-skillet with toasted bread!

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Tortillas de Patatas

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MINI SPANISH TORTILLA BITES

PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 25 minutes YIELDS: 24 servings

BY RANDY BACH ILLUSTRATIONS BY SONIA SHAH

Ingredients • 4 medium eggs • 1 medium russet potato, diced into ¼

inch cubes

• 1/2 medium onion, finely diced • 2 tbsp olive oil • ½ tsp salt • ½ tsp paprika

Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.

2. Whisk eggs in a bowl and add in salt and paprika. Set aside.

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add in diced potatoes first and cook for 5 minutes, being sure

to toss the potatoes so they cook evenly.

4. Add the diced onion. Cook potatoes and onions together for an additional 5 minutes or until potatoes are

fork tender. Turn off the heat and drain potatoes and onions from oil.

5. Prepare a nonstick mini cupcake pan, oil if needed. Distribute the potato and onion mixture into the pan.

6. Pour egg mixture directly over potato and onion mixture in the molds.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

8. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Serve and enjoy!

Potato Potato & & Egg Egg Salad Salad Brioche Brioche Sandwiches Sandwiches

BY YUJUNG LEE ILLUSTRATIONS BY MALIA KEALALUHI Ingredients • • • • • • • • • •

2 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes 1 large egg 1/4 small onion, finely chopped 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard 1/2 tbsp whole grain mustard 1 tbsp mayonnaise 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp salt, or to desired taste 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground 4 French Brioche bread loaves

4.

5.

Directions 1.

2.

3.

In a medium-sized pot, cover the potatoes and the egg with water and bring to a boil. On medium heat, boil the egg for 10 minutes and take it out. Keep boiling the potatoes until you can easily stick a fork through their center.

Peel both the potatoes and the egg.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, roughly mash the potatoes and the egg with a fork. You can mash them

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6.

7.

8.

finely, but this adds more texture to the salad.

Add in the chopped onion, dijon and whole grain mustard, mayonnaise, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well. **This is a base mixture, so feel free to add additional ingredients such as chopped celery, pickled relish, or finely chopped chives.** Toast the brioche loaves on a pan heated on medium heat or in a toaster until the surfaces are lightly browned. This prevents the bread from becoming soggy after assembly.

Place a generous dollop of potato egg salad on a loaf, and spread it to 1 in. thickness.

Top with another loaf, and lightly press down.

Slice the sandwich diagonally, vertically, or to your desired shape.

Plate the sandwiches on the lowest tier.

YIELDS: 2 servings PREP TIME: 30 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

YIELDS: 6 sandwiches PREP TIME: 5-10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • •

4 slices soft white bread 2 slices soft wheat bread 1 persian cucumber, sliced 1 can (7 oz) tuna, drained 1 tbsp minced onion 1 tbsp mayonnaise ½ tsp dijon mustard 1 tsp dill relish Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 1.

2.

3.

Place drained tuna in a bowl. Break apart tuna chunks with a fork.

Add mayonnaise, dijon, relish, onion, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Cut crusts off the bread to form perfect squares. Evenly split tuna mixture amongst 3 sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half to form 6 smaller sandwiches.

BY ALYSSA FURUKAWA ILLUSTRATIONS BY MALIA KEALALUHI

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Zucchini Mozarella Biscuits

BY ALYSSA FURUKAWA ILLUSTRATIONS BY MALIA KEALALUHI

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • •

¾ cup shredded zucchini 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour 2 ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 6 tbsp butter, chilled and cubed ⅓ cup buttermilk 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella ½ tsp salt

DIRECTIONS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.

Place shredded zucchini in a bowl and sprinkle salt over top. Let sit for 15 minutes, then drain with a cheesecloth or paper towels.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the chilled butter into the flour mixture.

Cutting in the butter means to incorporate the butter into the flour so it makes a coarse meal, resulting in a crumbly and not too dense biscuit.

Stir in 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella and the zucchini. Stir to combine.

Slowly drizzle the buttermilk evenly

YIELDS: 12 biscuits PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

over the mixture, combining with a fork. Try not to overmix.

7. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat into a ball with your hands, just enough to combine it.

It’s okay to have lumps, straggly bits of dough, and crumbly flour. We don’t want to combine into a tightly kneaded dough, that will create dense biscuits.

8. Flatten the dough into a square shape and cut out squares with a knife or circles with a cutter, about 1 inch in thickness.

9. Place biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes, then take them out of the oven.

10. With the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella, place a small amount of cheese on top of each biscuit, then place the tray back in the oven to bake for 5 more minutes.

YIELDS: 4 servings PREP TIME: 30 minutes COOK TIME: 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hr. (+30 min dough resting)

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • •

2/3 cup all-purpose or cake flour 1/2 cup yellow corn meal 1/8 cup granulated sugar 2 tsp baking powder DIRECTIONS 1 tsp salt 1. Chop the butter into size smaller 3 ½ tbsp unsalted butter, cold than that of peas, and place it back 1 medium egg, whisked in the fridge until other ingredients 1 ¼ tbsp heavy cream, cold are prepared.

6 tbsp canned sweetened corn kernels, 2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift drained the flour and corn meal through a fine mesh sieve.

3. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Roughly combine with a fork.

4. Remove butter from the fridge, and add it into the bowl.

5. Using the fork, separate the small pieces of butter and coat them well with the dry ingredients.

6. In a separate bowl, combine the whisked egg and heavy cream. Set aside 2 tbsp of the egg cream mixture for later, and pour the rest into the butter-flour mixture.

7. Add the corn kernels, and quickly combine with the fork until it begins to form a dough.

8. With your hand, pack the dough into

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

one ball.

On a working surface, lay out a piece of plastic wrap and place the dough on top.

Cover the dough and roughly shape it into a disc.

Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly flour the chilled dough and divide it into 4 pieces.

Using your hands, form the pieces of dough into ball shapes. The rougher the balls are, the more rustic feeling your scones will have when baked.

On a baking tray, place the dough balls about 2-3 in. apart.

Bake for 30-35 min or until the scones turn golden brown.

Let cool for at least 15 minutes.

The scones middle tier.

go

on

the

Corn Cream Scone

BY YUJUNG LEE ILLUSTRATIONS BY MALIA KEALALUHI

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YIELDS: 24 tarts PREP TIME: 30 min + 10 min COOK TIME: 25 min + 10 min TOTAL TIME: 1 hr. 15 min. + 3hrs chill time

6.

6.

For the custard: 1.

2.

3.

Ingredients:

For the tart shells: • ½ cup unsalted butter • 3 oz cream cheese • 1 cup all purpose flour For the custard: • 2 cups whole milk • 6 tbsp granulated sugar • 3 tbsp cornstarch • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or extract • 3 large egg yolks • 1 large whole egg • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened • Other: • 24 raspberries • ½ cup powdered sugar • Mint, to garnish

Bake for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Let cool while you make the custard filling.

4.

5.

Heat milk in a high-sided pan. Warm milk on medium high heat. In the meantime, go to step 8. As soon as the milk boils, take it off the heat.

Combine sugar, whole egg, yolks, cornstarch, vanilla paste or extract, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to create a thick, smooth mixture.

Once milk starts to bubble, remove from heat. Temper the egg mixture with the hot milk. Tempering means to bring an egg or custard mixture up to a higher temperature so that it does not scramble or curdle due to sudden heat. To do this, slowly pour in a small amount of hot milk to the egg mixture while whisking.

Continue whisking constantly and pouring in the hot milk until about half the milk is mixed in. Then, dump the egg mixture back into the pan with the hot milk.

Heat the new mixture on medium heat, whisking continuously until it starts to thicken. It should take 2-3 minutes.

Once you see bubbles break through the surface, the custard is cooked.

Remove from heat and add in the butter. Whisk the butter into the

7.

custard until combined.

Pour the hot custard into a bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap, using the back of your hand to pat down the plastic wrap so that it touches the custard. This is to prevent the custard from forming a skin as it cools.

Let the custard cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator to chill. Let chill for about 3 hours, until completely chilled.

To assemble: 1.

Scoop pastry cream into a piping bag and pipe a generous amount of custard into each tart shell. You can also use a spoon to scoop the custard into the tarts if you don’t have piping bags.

[Note: If the pastry cream seems a little thick, scoop it into a larger bowl or mixing bowl and vigorously stir until the custard loosens. At this point, it may be the desired consistency.

If it’s still thick, add a tablespoon of heavy cream if available, or milk. Stir until desired consistency, add another spoonful of cream or milk until desired consistency is reached. The custard should hold it’s shape when piped, and not be loose enough to spill out easily.]

2. Place one raspberry on top of each filled tart. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with a mint spring to finish.

Directions:

For the tart shells: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.

In a bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese until well combined.

Gradually add flour and mix in intervals until well combined.

Form into a ball and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, 30 if time allows.

Remove from fridge and roll into 2 inch balls. Use fingers to mold each ball into the mini cupcake tin, pushing the dough to form the walls of the tart.

BY ALYSSA FURUKAWA ILLUSTRATIONS BY MALIA KEALALUHI

Mini Raspberry Raspberry Mini Custard Tarts Tarts Custard 72 penn appétit

Peach Tart Tart Peach

BY YUJUNG LEE ILLUSTRATIONS BY MALIA KEALALUHI

Ingredients

For the Tart Shell • 1 stick unsalted butter, cold • 1/4 cup granulated sugar • 1 ½ cup all-purpose or cake flour • 2 egg yolks • 1 tsp salt • ½ tsp vanilla extract • 1-2 tbsp ice water, as needed For the Cheese Cream • ½ cup cream cheese, temperature • 1 tbsp granulated sugar • ¼ cup heavy cream For the Topping • •

room

4-5 white or yellow peaches, peeled and cut into bite pieces 10-12 fresh mint leaves

YIELDS: 4 mini tarts PREP TIME: 1 hr COOK TIME: 15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hr. 15 min. (+1 hour dough resting)

Directions

For the Tart Shell 1.

Chop the butter into size smaller than that of peas, and place it back in the fridge until other ingredients are prepared.

2. In a mixing bowl, sift the flour through a fine mesh sieve, and add sugar and salt.

3. Add the cold butter pieces and mix with a fork until the butter pieces are evenly coated with the dry ingredients.

4. Add the egg yolks, and combine until the yolks are evenly incorporated into the mixture and the mixture resembles a fine meal.

5. Add a tbsp of ice water at a time and mix until the mixture is just hydrated enough to form a ball of dough.

6. On a working surface, lay out a piece of plastic wrap and place the dough on top.

7. Shape it into a disc and cover with wrap.

8. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

9. Allow the chilled dough to soften a little for 15 minutes at room temperature.

10. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.

11. Roll out each piece to fit the mini tart pan.

12. Lay the rolled out dough on top of the pan and gently press the dough on the rim to make the dough stick to the surface well. Make sure the dough does not get stretched out or ripped.

13. Trim off the excess dough outside the rim.

14. Chill the pan in the fridge for 10 minutes and preheat the oven to 365F. 15. Poke the dough covering the bottom of the pan with a fork all across the surface to prevent it from rising in the oven.

16. Bake for 12-15 min, or until the rim turns golden brown in color.

17. Let the shells completely cool down before layering the cheese filling.

For the Cheese Cream 1.

2.

In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until fluffy.

Add in the sugar and heavy cream, and continue to whip until sugar is well dissolved and the cheese-cream mixture becomes fluffy.

Assembly 1.

2.

Evenly spread out the cream mixture on the bottom of tart shells.

Top the cream with peach pieces and garnish with mint leaves.

Place tarts on top tier!

BY YUJUNG LEE, ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMY YANG

74 penn appétit

PREP TIME: 30 minutes COOK TIME: 2hr 30min YIELDS: 2-3 servings

INGREDIENTS

TOOLS

Soup Jelly

• • • • • • • • •

1 medium saucepan 2 mixing bowls 1 baking tray Rolling pin Bamboo or stainless steel steamer 1 deep pot that can fit the steamer Fine mesh strainer Plastic bag Food processor

•

Parchment paper

• • • • •

3 cups water 1 stalk of green onion 1/2 clove of ginger 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder 2 tbsp powdered gelatin

Dough • • • •

2 cups + 1 tbsp bread flour 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1/2 cup water, boiling 1 tsp salt

Filling • • • • • • •

1 stalk of green onion, minced finely 2-3 tbsp ginger, minced 2 tbsp granulated or light brown sugar 2 tbsp oyster sauce 400g ground pork (use fatty cuts of pork) Soup jelly, cut in 1 in. cubes 2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Dipping Sauce •

• •

1/4 cup Chinkiang/Chinese black vinegar (can be substituted with 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 additional tbsp cider vinegar) 2 tbsp cider vinegar 1/2 ginger, julienned

penn appétit 75

Directions Soup Jelly 1. In a saucepan, combine water, green onion, ginger, and chicken bouillon powder, and bring to a boil.

2. Stir in the powdered gelatin, and remove from heat after boiling for one minute.

3. Strain the broth onto a flat tray with some depth, about one to two

inches. This is so that the broth does not spill out before it becomes gelatinous, and you can get jelly cubes that are not too thin or too thick to be mixed into the filling. Chill in the fridge until the jelly forms and other ingredients are ready.

Dough 1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the oil and boiling

water and mix until they form a soft and warm ball of dough. If you have a food processor or a bread machine, slowly pour in the oil and water to flour and salt mixture with the machine running on medium speed.

2. If the dough is too dry, add 1/2 tsp boiling water at a time to soften the dough.

3. Knead the dough until the surface becomes smooth and elastic.

One way to check is pressing your index finger into the dough. It should bounce back with a shallow indentation fairly quickly.

4. Place the dough in a plastic bag and remove any excess air inside the bag. Let it sit at room temperature for one hour.

Filling 1. In a separate mixing bowl, combine minced green onion and ginger, granulated or light brown sugar, oyster sauce, ground pork, freshly ground black pepper, and soup jelly pieces. Mix until the meaty parts become well mixed with the fatty parts of the ground pork. When cooked, this creates a soft and moist filling.

2. Remove the soup jelly from the tray and cut into pieces that are

about 1 in. in dimensions. This does not have to be exact; it is supposed to help with easier mixing of the jelly into the filling mixture.

3. Add the jelly pieces to the filling mixture and gently combine until the jelly becomes well incorporated into the filling.

Dipping Sauce 1. Mix the vinegars and ginger. Add tsp of water if the sauce is too tart.

76 penn appĂŠtit

Assembly & Steaming 1. Boil water in a pot that is deep enough to hold your steamer.

2. Dust your working surface with bread flour, and roll out the dough into logs

that are about 1 inch diameter. Cut into 0.5 inch pieces. Gently roll them into balls and keep them under a piece of plastic wrap to prevent drying.

3. Roll out each ball into a round wrapper that is about 3 ¼-inch wide, half an

inch wider than the size of a soda can diameter. Keep the center of the wrapper slightly thicker than the boundaries to prevent leaking of the soup content when the dumplings are steamed. The boundaries should be thin enough to see the shadows of your fingers when put under light.

4. Place a wrapper on the cupped palm of your hand. Place a generous tbsp of

filling onto the center, and pinch the rim of the dough together with your index finger and thumb. As you pinch, create a pleated pattern and twist off at the end to ensure the dumpling has no leaky spots. (Probably insert guide images in the mag, like an origami tutorial)

5. Place each dumpling in a steamer, sealed side up, spaced about an inch apart. If

you choose to use a metal steamer, keep the dumplings at least an inch away from the edge, where all the condensation will collect.

6. If you are unable to fit all of them in one batch, keep the rest under a piece of plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.

7. Steam the dumplings over boiling water for about 8 minutes or until the wrapper becomes translucent.

8. Enjoy! The soup dumplings are best when served immediately after steaming.

Tips on How to Enjoy Your Soup Dumplings • •

Gently lift up a dumpling to prevent the wrapper from ripping apart and the leaking of the soup inside. (Be careful of the boiling hot soup!)

Place it onto a spoon, poke a little hole with chopsticks. Sip on the hole and drink the soup first. Then, enjoy the dumpling.

penn appétit 77

YIELDS: 4 servings PREP TIME: 40 min.

COOK TIME: 1 hr.

30 min.

TOTAL TIME: 2 hr.

10 min.

INGREDIENTS Gnocchi Dough • • •

TOOLS • • • • • • • •

2 small mixing bowls 1 small saucepan 1-2 deep skillet or saucepan 1 shallow medium skillet Heat-resistant spatula(s) Cutting board Knife Power blender or immersion blender

• •

4 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes (If not available, other potatoes work too), baked 2 tsp salt 2 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, powdered (can be substituted with parmesan cheese powder) 1 cup all-purpose flour or Tipo 00 flour

Celeriac (Root of Celery) Puree • • • • •

4 tbsp unsalted butter 1/2 medium-sized yellow onion, diced 1 celeriac (can be substituted with 3-4 parsnips), roughly sliced into pieces 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup whole milk

Olive Tapenade • • • • •

1 cup pitted black olives, removed from pickling liquid 1/3 medium-sized yellow onion, diced 2 tbsp olive oil A pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp)

Olive Breadcrumbs • • •

4 tbsp breadcrumbs 10 pitted black olives, removed from pickling liquid 2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Marinated Celery • • • • •

78 penn appétit

1 stick celery, sliced thinly (0.1 inches) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp sherry vinegar Black pepper, freshly ground A pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp)

BY YUJUNG LEE, ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMY YANG

penn appétit 79

Directions For the toppings

Olive Breadcrumbs 1. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and black pepper.

2. Microwave the black olives to remove excess moisture, mince them finely.

3. Mix 1 with 2.

Marinated Celery 1. In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients except the celery first and mix well.

2. Add the celery slices to 3, mix well, and set aside for marination.

For the Celeriac Puree 1.

2.

3.

4.

In a deep skillet, melt butter and cook diced onion on a medium-high heat.

When the onions become translucent, add the roughly sliced celeriac or parsnip and continue cooking for 5 minutes at medium heat using a spatula.

Add heavy cream and milk to the skillet, and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to mediumlow and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until the celeriac or parsnip slices become soft.

Blend the mixture using an immersion blender until the puree has a smooth texture. If you do not have an immersion blender, pour the mixture into a power blender and blend until smooth.

For the Olive Tapenade 1.

2.

3.

In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, drizzle olive oil and cook diced onion until translucent.

Turn down the heat to low, add the olives and let the olives sizzle and become well mixed with the onion for 15 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, blend using the pulse feature to create a coarsely chopped olives and onion mixture. If you do not have an immersion blender, you could use a food processor or manually chop 10 using a knife.

For the Gnocchi 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Peel the baked potatoes and mash using a potato ricer or strainer. This prevents any large lumps of potato in the dough.

Spread the riced potato onto a flat working surface.

Sprinkle salt and powdered Reggiano cheese (or parmesan cheese powder) on the potato.

Gently mix using a bench scraper or by hand.

Sprinkle just enough flour to form a ball of dough. It should not be soft like mashed potatoes and should have as little flour as possible to just maintain the structure. A good way to check is trying to roll out the dough; if it breaks apart, add more flour.

Roll out the dough into a log of 1 inch diameter. If it is too long, cut it into multiple logs.

Cut the log into small pieces about 1/2 an inch thick.

In a deep pot, bring water to a boil. Season the water with a generous pinch of salt.

Add gnocchi one by one into the boiling water and wait until they float to the surface. This means the gnocchi is fully cooked.

Drain the gnocchi and rinse with cold water to remove excess starch to help with making a crispier surface.

Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil onto the gnocchi to prevent sticking to each other.

In a shallow medium skillet on medium-high heat, drizzle some olive oil and add the gnocchi.

Fry them until each side becomes golden-brown in color and crispy.

For Plating 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Add about 2 tbsp of olive tapenade onto a flat plate and roughly spread it out to create a base layer.

Drizzle the celeriac puree on the olive tapenade to create a contrast between black olives and the white puree. About 2-3 spoonfuls would be enough.

Add the fried gnocchi on top of the puree.

Sprinkle pieces of marinated celery on top of the gnocchi, 1-2 pieces on each gnocchi.

If you have truffle oil, drizzle about 1/2 tbsp for a boost of flavor.

Grate some fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over top to finish.

Enjoy!

e s e m a n t e i e V c i R y k c i t S s l l Ba

RECIPE BY AHN NGO ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH CHAN 82 penn appétit

PREP TIME:

60 minutes

Cook time:

Ingredients Rice Dough

30 minutes

Yields:

4 servings

• 3 cup glutinous (sticky) rice flour • ½ cup rice flour • 3 ½ cup warm water Ginger Syrup

• • • • • • •

2 liters of water (saved from boiling the cake) 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar 1 whole ginger, cleaned, peeled and finely sliced ½ vanilla bean, scraped ½ tsp jasmine extract (optional) 1 tsp tapioca starch (optional) Pinch of salt

Toppings:

• ¼ cup roasted peanut, peeled and finely chopped • ½ cup shredded coconut • ¼ cup toasted white sesame seeds (to decorate)

Fillings: Mung Bean

• • • • •

1 cup mung beans/ yellow beans ½ cup white caster sugar 2 ¼ cup boiling water 2 tbsp coconut oil ½ cup shredded coconut (optional)

Black Sesame • 1 ½ cup black sesame, toasted and grinded • ½ cup white caster sugar • 4 tbsp water • 3 tbsp butter • ½ cup shredded coconut (optional)

penn appétit 83

Directions Rice Dough

1. Mix glutinous rice flour and rice flour in a bowl. Make a hole in the center.

2. Add about half of the warm water and knead gently until the mixture is well incorporated into a dough ball.

3. If the dough is still dry, water should be gradually added, a few tablespoons each time until the dough comes together. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, neither too wet nor too dry. The dough should be soft, elastic and easy to shape. Cover the dough in cling film and let it rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.

Mung Bean Filling

1. Rinse mung beans and add to a pan. Add pre-boiled water to the pan. Bring the pan to a boil on high heat and skim off the foam on top. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the beans are soft and tender.

2. Puree the soft beans and pour into a pan. Add sugar and coconut oil.

3. Stir the filling on medium heat until the filling gets drier. Add shredded coconut and stir until the filling thickens and is no longer runny. Remove the pan from heat. Divide the fillings into 20 portions of 8 – 15 gram each when it’s still warm. Bigger portions yield bigger rice balls.

Black Sesame Filling

1. Add grinded black sesame, butter and water to a pan. Add the shredded coconut and cook the mixture on low heat, stirring constantly until the paste is consistent and thick.

2. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. Divide the fillings into 20 portions of 8 – 15 gram each when it’s still warm. Measure the filling portions so that they are same size as the mung beans balls

Wrap the filling

1. Divide the dough into portions of 20-25 grams each.

2. Shape each piece of dough into a ball, flatten it, put a filling ball in the middle and wrap it so that no filling shows through. The dough should closely enclose the filling. If there is air in between, the balls will burst when being boiled.

3. Repeat the wrapping for the rest of the dough and filling.

Cooking the Dough

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium.

2. Gently drop the balls, a few at a time, into the boiling water. When the balls float to the top, they are cooked. Turn off the heat.

3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process and prevent the balls from sticking to one another.

4. Preserve the boiling water to make the ginger syrup.

Ginger Syrup

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the water (saved from boiling the rice dough) and brown sugar. When the syrup just starts to boil, add the ginger slices. Cover the saucepan with a lid and turn the heat to low. Let the ginger syrup simmer in the saucepan for a few minutes. Add in the vanilla bean and jasmine extract (optional).

2. In a small bowl, mix the tapioca starch and a tablespoon of water to form a gravy. Add the mixture into the syrup, a little at a time and stir quickly.

Since the water has already contained starch from boiling the dough, you may not need to use all of the tapioca mixture. Stop adding once we have a syrupy texture. Add the cooked rice balls into the ginger syrup, simmering for another 10 minutes.

Assembly

1. To serve, spoon a few sticky rice balls into a dessert bowl along with some ginger syrup.

2. Top with chopped peanuts, roasted sesame seeds, and shredded coconut.

3. Serve and enjoy!

Gruyere andParmesan

Cheese Souffle

BY RISHIN SHARMA ILLUSTRATION BY JOY CHEN INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • • • •

¼ cup butter 5 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional) 1 ¼ cup whole milk ¼ cup white wine 6 egg yolks 8 egg whites ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 1 ¼ cups finely grated Gruyere cheese

PREP TIME: 45 minutes COOK TIME: 45 minutes YIELDS: 6 mini souffles

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

The oven needs to be hot to ensure a nice crust without drying out the souffle.

2. Generously butter 6 ramekins (roughly 1 - 1 ½ cup sizes) to prevent the souffle from sticking to the sides of the dish 3. Melt ½ cup of butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Then, add in flour and cayenne pepper while whisking constantly. *DO NOT STOP WHISKING, otherwise, the mixture may be clumpy. The mixture should be smooth and mixed together.

4. Cook the mixture until it just begins to bubble. It should take about 1 minute. *If the butter starts browning, it’s cooked too much!

5. Slowly whisk in your milk, then whisk in the white wine *You should be whisking this entire time (I know, tedious). But if you put in the work now, you’re going to have a nice and fluffy final product!

6. Cook the mixture until it just begins to boil. At this point, your mixture should be smooth and starting to thicken.

Immediately remove from the heat.

7. Off to the side, mix the egg yolks, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

8. Add the entire yolk mixture to the saucepan and, you guessed it, whisk to

combine. *TIP: Don’t have to prepare the yolk mixture before cooking the butter, milk, flour, and white wine. The time it takes to separate the eggs will be just enough time to let your mixture cool off the heat.

9. Fold in your Gruyere and Parmesan Cheese into the mixture - this should be a very visually appealing portion of this recipe.

10. In a large mixing bowl, beat your egg whites with an electric mixer on high for about 5 minutes until they form stiff peaks. *Knowing when you have stiff peaks can be one of the most challenging things to do in baking.

You should be able to turn your electric mixer whisks upside down and the egg whites should form peaks that hold proudly and do not fall down! Patience is key, this can take time but be careful not to overbeat your eggs till they are dry.

11. Fold the egg whites into the souffle mixture. Emphasis on FOLD - do not whisk. You want to preserve the volume being provided by the egg whites.

12. Pour your souffle mixture into the ramekins until ¾ full. Sprinkle Gruyere cheese on top for finish 13. Place your ramekins in the oven, bake for about 40 minutes until puffed and golden *For smaller ramekins, bake closer to 30 minutes or until puffed and golden.

14. Serve and

enjoy your masterpiece!

penn appétit 87

PREP TIME: 30 minutes COOK TIME: 2 hours YIELDS: 50 Rice Balls (golf ball size) CURRY DIRECTIONS 1.

BY MAX TSIANG ILLUSTRATIONS BY MALIA KEALALUHI

2.

3.

4.

INGREDIENTS For the curry: • Curry roux/powder/paste • 500g of beef brisket • ½ a small onion • 1 Carrot • 2 Potatoes • 3 cloves of garlic • 1 knob of ginger • 2 tbsp of tomato paste • ¼ cup of flour • 1 14.5oz can of beef broth (can be replaced with chicken broth or water) • 1 tbsp of grated apple • Salt and pepper • ½ a cup of red wine • 2 tbsp of milk or heavy cream • Grapeseed or any neutral flavored oil For the rice ball bites: • White rice • 2 eggs • Panko bread crumbs

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

88 penn appétit

Begin by cutting beef brisket into small, bite-sized pieces Pat meat dry and season with ¼ cup of flour, salt, and pepper Brown the meat on medium heat in a heavy-bottomed dutch oven in batches (do not overcrowd the pan, no more than 10 pieces per batch) Remove the meat from the dutch oven and place it on a plate (be sure to keep any resting juices!)

Saute the onion on medium heat Once onions are softened and translucent, add in finely chopped garlic and ginger Saute mixture until fragrant (around 30 seconds), then add in 2 tbsp of tomato paste Continue sauteeing for around 2 minutes on medium heat until fond forms (the brown stuff at the bottom of the pan) Add in ½ a cup of red wine and reduce until the alcohol has evaporated, around 1 minute Add in 1 can of beef or chicken broth and enough water to cover the meat, about 1 cup Bring to a boil on high heat, then lower heat to a light simmer and cover the dutch oven tightly with the lid Meanwhile, chop carrots and potatoes into similarly sized bitesized pieces as the beef brisket If you do not have any cooked white rice on hand, start cooking desired amount of white rice (see serving size below for rice balls) Let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, and skim off any scum or fat off the surface Once simmered for 1 hour, add in the carrots and potatoes Simmer for another ½ hour Add in an appropriate amount of curry roux (I used 1.5 blocks of a store-bought curry brick), 2 tbsp of milk or heavy cream, and 1 tbsp of grated apple Season with salt and pepper to taste

RICE BALL BITES DIRECTIONS (Yields 10 rice balls) 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Once curry is cooled to room temperature, add 100g to a large bowl Add in 150g of cooked white rice, 1 egg, 40g of panko bread crumbs, and a pinch of salt (no more than 1 tsp) Mix with hands and form small balls similar in size to a golf ball Place rice balls on plate and let firm up in freezer for 20 minutes Beat 1 egg and coat rice balls in egg wash, then in panko bread crumbs Heat oil in a large pan to 350 F and deep-fry the rice balls until golden brown, no more than 5 minutes Remove and drain on paper towels, season with salt, and serve (optionally with lemon, tonkatsu sauce, ketchup, or sauce of choice)

Japanese Curry

Rice Ball Bites

penn appĂŠtit 89

BY ALYSSA FURUKAWA ILLUSTRATIONS BY MALIA KEALALUHI

My deviled eggs recipe is different from most because I don’t rely on mayonnaise as the main dairy addition. I was inspired by how I eat my mom’s baked potatoes— with a big dollop of sour cream on top. I thought about deviled eggs, and how we make them with mayo usually. But we don’t eat dollops or spoonfuls of mayo; in fact, I 90 penn appétit

find that significantly less appetizing than sour cream. The day I developed this recipe, I remember my roommate and I piping the leftover yolk filling onto our fingers and licking it off it was that good.

These deviled eggs became one of my go-to h’orderves recipes and they’re ridiculously easy to make.

PREP TIME: 5 minutes COOK TIME: 14 minutes TOTAL TIME: 19 minutes

Directions 1. Place eggs in a pot and cover eggs with water. Place the pot on medium-high to high heat for 14 minutes.

Ingredients 6 large eggs ¼ cup sour cream 1 tsp pickle juice 1 tsp hot sauce (my favorite is Classic Hot Ones from Hea-

2. Place boiled eggs in an ice bath and chill for 10 minutes or until eggs are entirely chilled.

3. Once eggs are chilled, peel the eggs. An easy way I peel

my eggs is to crack them all the way around and peel the bottom first. There’s a gap between the egg and the shell at the bottom, and starting there is easier. I also immerse the egg in the ice bath as I remove the shell so that none of the shell sticks to the egg.

4. Once eggs are peeled, cut each egg in half and remove the yolk, placing the yolk halves into a mixing bowl.

tonist!)

5. Add the salt, pickle juice, and hot sauce to the yolks.

1 tsp coarse kosher salt (less if

6. Lastly, add the sour cream. This is the final step because

you’re using kosher salt or table salt)

not all yolks are the same in size — you may need a bit more than ¼ cup of sour cream, or a bit less. The texture is also up to preference, but I would advise thicker over thinner, since each bite can be delicate and you don’t want the filling to spill out!

7. To assemble, use a spoon to dollop filling into each of the

egg halves. Or, if you’re looking for a nicer presentation, use a piping bag to pipe the filling into the egg halves.

My favorite toppings to sprinkle over top are a touch of paprika or Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel seasoning!

PREP TIME: 5 minutes COOK TIME: 14 minutes TOTAL TIME: 19 minutes

BY ALYS SA FURUKAWA ILLUSTRATIONS BY MALIA KEALALUHI Directions Ingredients 6 large eggs ¼ cup sour cream 2 tsp hot sauce (I used Classic

1. Place eggs in a pot and cover eggs with water. Place the pot on medium-high to high heat for 14 minutes.

2. Place boiled eggs in an ice bath and chill for 10 minutes or until eggs are entirely chilled.

3. Once eggs are chilled, peel the eggs. An easy way I peel

Heatonist)

my eggs is to crack them all the way around and peel the bottom first. There’s a gap between the egg and the shell at the bottom, and starting there is easier. I also immerse the egg in the ice bath as I remove the shell so that none of the shell sticks to the egg.

⅛1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

4. Once eggs are peeled, cut each egg in half and remove the

Hot Ones: Garlic Edition from

½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp coarse kosher salt (less if using table salt or regular kosher salt)

yolk, placing the yolk halves into a mixing bowl.

5.Add the salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and hot sauce to the yolks.

6. Lastly, add the sour cream. This is the final step because

not all yolks are the same in size — you may need a bit more than ¼ cup of sour cream, or a bit less. The texture is also up to preference, but I would advise thicker over thinner, since each bite can be delicate and you don’t want the filling to spill out!

7. To assemble, use a spoon to dollop filling into each of the

egg halves. Or, if you’re looking for a nicer presentation, use a piping bag to pipe the filling into the egg halves.

8. Sprinkle a touch of paprika or some red pepper flakes over top and enjoy!

T S R E AWB D A M ER E M R Y HO

BY RISHIN SHARMA ILLUSTRATION BY JOY CHEN

94 penn appétit

YIELDS: 6-8 Fruit Roll-Ups PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 4 hours

INGREDIENTS • • •

3 tbsp granulated sugar 8 oz strawberries, stems removed 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, pulp & seeds removed

Directions 1.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees F, or the lowest temperature that your oven will go. Lower temperatures will ensure the best results; make sure the oven heat is less than 200 degrees at the highest.

2.

Place strawberries into a blender or food processor and puree for about 1 minute or until smooth. Make sure you don’t have any chunks, starting off with a smooth puree is key to a successful outcome!

3.

Transfer the pureed strawberries to a saucepan and add and combine the fresh lemon juice and sugar

4.

Cook the mixture on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick and jam-like. You’re looking to cook out as much moisture as you possibly can, so patience here is key.

5.

Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and pour in the strawberry mixture. Spread the mixture into a rectangular shape using a spatula until your rectangle is about ⅛1 inch thick. Make sure it is spread evenly across the pan.*Eyeballing 1 inch can be tricky, but you can use the width of a quarter as an approximate reference. Also, if the jam is see-through, the rectangle is too thin. If your mixture is too thin, find a smaller baking sheet or baking pan to use

6.

Cook in the oven for 3-4 hours until the fruit mix is no longer sticky.

You can use your finger to test how sticky the mixture is. *Make sure

you don’t leave it in for too long! Prevent this by checking on it every 15 minutes or so. Otherwise, your fruit rectangle will turn into more of a chip and you won’t be able to roll them. To test this, you can pick up the edge to make sure it’s still flexible.

7.

Once done, remove from the oven and let your tray cool completely or for about 15 minutes. Transfer the fruit rectangle to a cutting board lined with wax paper and use a pizza cutter or knife to cut long strips. Your strips should be about 1-inch in width.

8.

Roll up your finished strips into a spiral and take a trip down memory lane with this fun throwback snack!

penn appétit 95

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